noun
badinage
bad-n-AHZH/ˌbædnˈɑːʒ/
Light, playful conversation involving friendly teasing.
The friends exchange smiling badinage over the fallen chess king.
Etymology
The pieces present jesting as an activity. The English sense focuses that general playfulness on light teasing exchanged in conversation.
In context
She grew more and more assured, her sallies more and more outrageous, in a violent badinage that continued until the bell rang and Annie ran off up stairs.
More examples
- The interview began with a little badinage about the weather.
- She enjoyed the harmless badinage between the two old friends.
- His serious announcement brought the badinage to an abrupt stop.