as in dialect
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field
the medical patois that the hospital staffers used among themselves was incomprehensible to me
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of patois
Elliott spits her verses in patois, freeing up space on the track for the drums to get some before Cartel and M.I.A. slide through.
41.
—
Steven J. Horowitz, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
And so there’s West Indian patois and language and music and food.
—Vanessa Franko, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2025
There are countless examples like these, in which English scaffolding has adapted to the demands and the cultural heritage of its speakers, from Jamaican patois to Tok Pisin, of New Guinea.
—Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Instead, viewers are immersed in Millie’s Kingston, with dialogue spoken almost entirely in Jamaican patois, where opportunities are limited, gang violence persists and whiteness is still put on a pedestal.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for patois
Steven J. Horowitz, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
And so there’s West Indian patois and language and music and food.
—Vanessa Franko, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2025
There are countless examples like these, in which English scaffolding has adapted to the demands and the cultural heritage of its speakers, from Jamaican patois to Tok Pisin, of New Guinea.
—Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Instead, viewers are immersed in Millie’s Kingston, with dialogue spoken almost entirely in Jamaican patois, where opportunities are limited, gang violence persists and whiteness is still put on a pedestal.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for patois
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patois
Noun
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The gambit that Shelley somehow comes to possess her fictional creation is sustained, as Ida alternates between a very American dialect and a more high-toned British accent.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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Having a few weeks of rehearsal ahead of filming helped McEwen and Kidman to establish the similarities in their performances, as did work with Kidman’s dialect coach.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Scientists Push Back Not everyone in the scientific community shares Colossal’s optimism — or its terminology.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
16 Mar. 2026
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Top Case is Apple's terminology for the upper half of the aluminum shell that surrounds the keyboard on all MacBooks.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The sounds that weren’t just popularized by Whole Lotta Red, but also, SoFaygo and Ken Carson’s first couple of albums and Destroy Lonely, are just the vocabulary of the underground now.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
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Gender Queer supplies this missing vocabulary in clear and accessible language that will resonate with trans readers of any age, while also making these experiences legible to those who haven’t shared them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If a conversation thread gets confusing, rewrite the key points in plain language.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Mar. 2026
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Trump has also asked that Republicans tack on language restricting transgender surgeries and transgender participation in women’s sports — two policies that Republicans successfully used as a political wedge against Democrats in the last election cycle.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In 1993, Green started compiling 500 years of English slang by sifting through mountains of primary sources.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Feb. 2026
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Blending Milanese slang with French and Arabic, his rhymes should bring a fresh energy to the event.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patois.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patois. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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