noun
flirtatious talk; seductive words; erotic conversation
Refers to speech intended to charm, seduce, or arouse romantic or sexual interest. Often carries a literary or slightly old-fashioned feel.
彼は甘い艶言で彼女の心を射止めた。
He won her heart with sweet, flirtatious words.
小説には官能的な艶言が散りばめられている。
The novel is sprinkled with sensual, seductive talk.
Compound of 艶 (en, 'charming, glossy, romantic') and 言 (gen, 'words, speech'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally yields the meaning 'alluring speech'.