pidgin English
noun
often capitalized P
: an English-based pidgin
especially
: one originally used in parts of east Asia
Examples of pidgin English in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Give the Gungan some gas to go with that pidgin English and anything could happen.
Times have changed — or have they?
—
Christie D’zurilla, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
Even then, the casual denigration of Native American characters who were depicted in the script as playing tom-toms, holding powwows and speaking in pidgin English raised eyebrows.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2024
Others railed against the slapstick antics and pidgin English of Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), hyped as the first-ever CG main character in a live-action movie.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 11 May 2024
The phrase ‘chop time, no friend’ is in pidgin English, often plastered on busses in Ghana, Eazi tells Rolling Stone.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2023
There are versions in local pidgin English, Hausa, Kanuri and Fulani.
—Reuters, NBC News, 22 Sep. 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Christie D’zurilla, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
Even then, the casual denigration of Native American characters who were depicted in the script as playing tom-toms, holding powwows and speaking in pidgin English raised eyebrows.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2024
Others railed against the slapstick antics and pidgin English of Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), hyped as the first-ever CG main character in a live-action movie.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 11 May 2024
The phrase ‘chop time, no friend’ is in pidgin English, often plastered on busses in Ghana, Eazi tells Rolling Stone.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2023
There are versions in local pidgin English, Hausa, Kanuri and Fulani.
—Reuters, NBC News, 22 Sep. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Pidgin English.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pidgin%20English. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share