You already use 42,000 words. English has 171,000.
The difference is not jargon. It is ordinary, precise, slightly old words that good writers still reach for — the ones that say in a word what otherwise takes a clause.
Parlance gives you one of them a day, and then makes sure you keep it.
Reading a word is not learning it.
You forget most of what you read within a day. Parlance schedules each word with FSRS, returning it at the moment the memory starts to go — and then leaving longer gaps as it holds.
Words you clearly know stop appearing. Nothing to grind through, no streak to protect.
Every word arrives from somewhere.
Each entry carries its origin: the roots, the borrowings, the drift of meaning over centuries. Knowing where a word came from is most of what makes it stay.
Halcyon is a kingfisher. The bird was said to nest on the winter sea and to calm it while it did — which is why a halcyon day is a still one.
What one day looks like.
Every entry is built the same way: the sense first, then the sentence, then where the word came from.
halcyon
/ˈhælsiən/ hal·cy·on adjective
Idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting happy tranquillity.
From Middle English Alceoun, from Latin halcyōn, from Ancient Greek ἀλκυών — a kingfisher. The bird was said to nest on the winter sea, and to still it while it did.
Questions
Is this for learning English?
Not really. Parlance assumes you already speak English well and want the vocabulary that good writing draws on. If you are learning the language itself, a grammar app will serve you better.
What is spaced repetition?
A schedule that shows you a word again just before you would have forgotten it, spacing reviews further apart as the memory holds. Parlance uses FSRS, a modern and well-studied version of the idea.
Where do the words come from?
Senses come from the Open English WordNet, an open lexical database. Example sentences and the etymological notes are written by hand.
Do I need an account?
No. There is nothing to sign up for. Your saved words and review history live on your iPhone.
What does it cost?
Parlance Plus is a subscription covering the full library, review practice and the widgets. The price appears in the app before anything is charged.