creole

1 of 2

adjective

cre·​ole ˈkrē-ˌōl How to pronounce creole (audio)
1
or Creole : of or relating to Creoles or their language
2
or Creole : relating to or being highly seasoned food typically prepared with rice, okra, tomatoes, and peppers
shrimp creole

Creole

2 of 2

noun

Cre·​ole ˈkrē-ˌōl How to pronounce Creole (audio)
1
: a person of European descent born especially in the West Indies or Spanish America
2
: a white person descended from early French or Spanish settlers of the U.S. Gulf states and preserving their speech and culture
3
: a person of mixed French or Spanish and Black descent speaking a dialect of French or Spanish
4
a
: a language evolved from pidginized French that is spoken by Black people in southern Louisiana
b
c
creole : a language that has evolved from a pidgin but serves as the native language of a speech community

Examples of creole in a Sentence

Noun Some people in Louisiana speak Creole.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Add the garlic and butter to a large bowl with the milk, eggs, cheddar cheese soup, pepper and creole seasoning. Dallas News, 15 Mar. 2022 The black American culture emerged as a creole culture, drawing upon common African tendencies, but also English speaking and Christian, two traits derived from the society into which they were thrown. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 June 2011 Lou Lou Food & Drink, a creole restaurant in St. Matthews, is taking over Decca's space for a second location. The Courier-Journal, 24 Oct. 2022 Seeing the island through their eyes offers a singular view into the creole Gullah language, traditional foods, music, and more. Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2022 Specializing in the Louisiana creole cuisine that incorporates French, West African, Caribbean and other influences, Borel already has a name in the culinary scene, operating as a private chef and caterer since 2020. Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Mar. 2022 The beach town of Bluefields is the gateway to the charming Corn Islands and Pearl Keys, full of luscious creole cuisine, crystal blue lagoons and stunning white sand beaches. Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2022 Enjoy the creole flavors infused into the steamy plates of crab, lobster, crawfish, and veggies. Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 28 Feb. 2022 Inside, guests in colorful outfits and bedazzled masks enjoyed creole-style cuisine while browsing displays from local artists and crafters. Lauren Wethington, Detroit Free Press, 26 Feb. 2022
Noun
One-Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice Cajun or Creole seasoning infuses this dish with loads of flavor. Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2024 Get the Recipe 13 of 34 Louisiana: Gumbo Few things are as integral to Creole and Cajun cooking as gumbo, which is one of those dishes that real Louisiana cooks can conjure with heart and whatever's on hand. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024 Helmed by Chef Orlando Satchell, the menu consists of local flavors and ingredients with dishes like green banana soup, mahi-mahi, coconut jerk lobster, yellowfin tuna, and Creole bread. Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2024 The seasoning is influenced by Cajun and Creole cuisine, with a blend of chiles, such as paprika and cayenne, dehydrated and dried onion and garlic, and herbs, such as thyme and oregano. Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2024 Huckleberry’s: Creole cooking via California In Keller, Huckleberry’s enters a market dominated by hometown favorites DeVivo Bros. Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2024 The church with Haitian influence offered some services in Creole. Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2024 The South Charlotte restaurant focuses on French Creole and Southern cuisine with menu items like the Southern Picnic Board, featuring prosciutto, pimento cheese, giardiniera and deviled eggs. Chyna Blackmon, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 English is spoken along with Creole. 12 of 12 Turks and Caicos Providenciales is the most populous and best-known island in Turks and Caicos, offering white-sand beaches, sportfishing, and world-class snorkeling and diving in its coral reefs. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 18 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'creole.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French créole, from Spanish criollo, from Portuguese crioulo white person born in the colonies

First Known Use

Adjective

1737, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of creole was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near creole

Cite this Entry

“Creole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creole. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

creole

1 of 2 adjective
cre·​ole ˈkrē-ˌōl How to pronounce creole (audio)
1
often capitalized : of or relating to the Creoles or their language
2
often capitalized : relating to or being the traditional spicy food of the Creoles

Creole

2 of 2 noun
Cre·​ole ˈkrē-ˌōl How to pronounce Creole (audio)
1
: a white person descended from early French or Spanish settlers in the U.S. Gulf states
2
: a person of mixed French or Spanish and black descent speaking a dialect of French or Spanish
3
a
: a language evolved from a pidgin based on French that is spoken by blacks in southern Louisiana
b
not capitalized : a language that has evolved from a pidgin and serves as the native language of a group of people

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