| cant |
| Definition:
A jargon used by cliques — such as criminal groups and gypsies — to prevent outsiders from understanding what they are saying. Note: The equivalent French term is argot. |
| Etymology: The word derives from the from Old North French canter, to sing or chant, which in turn derives from the Latin cantare, sing. |
| Oxford English Dictionary: The term's first use in this sense is from 1706; however, the OED provides no example citation. Its first citation is from 1707: "They talk'd to one another in Cant." (J. Stevens tr. Quevedo's Com. Wks. (1709) 226) |