Parmo means: A north-eastern English dish of deep-fried breaded chicken topped with béchamel sauce and cheese, sometimes served like a pizza with additional toppings.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. This is a food-related word and harmless in itself. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
parmo
(UK, chiefly, Teesside) A north-eastern English dish of deep-fried breaded chicken topped with béchamel sauce and cheese, sometimes served like a pizza with additional toppings.
Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(UK, chiefly, Teesside) A north-eastern English dish of deep-fried breaded chicken topped with béchamel sauce and cheese, sometimes served like a pizza with additional toppings.
But I hadn't eaten since breakfast, and felt sure that a parmo's bark (smell and appearance) could not possibly be as bad as its bite (taste).
Origin: From , from the original name of the dish, escalope parmesan. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
Parmo means: A north-eastern English dish of deep-fried breaded chicken topped with béchamel sauce and cheese, sometimes served like a pizza with additional toppings.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. This is a food-related word and harmless in itself. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
parmo means: A north-eastern English dish of deep-fried breaded chicken topped with béchamel sauce and cheese, sometimes served like a pizza with additional toppings.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: money
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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UK
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UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
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Other words near "parmo" (P)
Parliament Hillparlormaidparlor palmparlourmaidparlour matchparmiparochial boardpar offparoleparoreparritchparro
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Related terms
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Semantically related
- parmi71%
Aussie shorthand for chicken parmigiana — the pub classic of a crumbed chicken breast topped with tomato sauce, ham, and melted cheese. Ordering a parmi at any Australian pub is an institution in itself; debates over whether to call it a 'parmi' or 'parma' are taken with surprising seriousness depending on which state you're in. It's comfort food, footy-night staple, and a benchmark for judging a pub's quality all rolled into one.
- parmi70%
Australian informal shortening of 'chicken parmigiana', the popular pub meal of crumbed chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese. The great Australian debate over whether it is a 'parmi' or 'parma' is a minor but persistent cultural touchstone -- 'parmi' is more common in Victoria and South Australia, 'parma' in Queensland. Either way it is an institution of Australian pub culture.
- parmi69%
(Australia, informal) A chicken parmigiana.
- macaroni cheese59%
(UK) A savory dish made from cooked macaroni and cheese sauce.
- poutine57%
A dish consisting of French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy, eaten primarily in Canada.