noun
dalliance
DALEERNS
Dalliance (noun) means a brief, playful romance or flirtation, not meant to be serious. Example: “Their summer dalliance never turned into anything more.”
noun
1
A brief, playful romance or flirtation, not meant to be serious.
"Their summer dalliance never turned into anything more."
"The gossip columns hinted at a dalliance between the two stars."
2
Time spent idly or without purpose.
"After months of dalliance, the project finally moved forward."
How to use dalliance
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA short, casual fling — or, more generally, time wasted without getting anything done.
Common pairings
brief dalliance
a dalliance with
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Word forms
- Plural
- dalliances
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Their summer _____ never turned into anything more.
Etymology
From dally plus the suffix -ance, ultimately from Old French dalier ("to chat, to flirt").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for dalliance
See all rhymes for dalliance →Frequently asked questions
What does “dalliance” mean?
The word “dalliance” means a brief, playful romance or flirtation, not meant to be serious. In plain terms, a short, casual fling — or, more generally, time wasted without getting anything done.
How do you pronounce “dalliance”?
“Dalliance” is pronounced DALEERNS (/ˈdæli.əns/ in IPA).
How do you use “dalliance” in a sentence?
Here is “dalliance” used in a sentence: “Their summer dalliance never turned into anything more.”
What part of speech is “dalliance”?
“Dalliance” is a noun.
Where does the word “dalliance” come from?
The word “dalliance” comes from Old French. From dally plus the suffix -ance, ultimately from Old French dalier ("to chat, to flirt").
How many meanings does “dalliance” have?
“Dalliance” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a brief, playful romance or flirtation, not meant to be serious.
