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
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
Casting themselves as high priests of pop culture, the duo encapsulated gay-millennial preoccupations and patois.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for patois
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
Casting themselves as high priests of pop culture, the duo encapsulated gay-millennial preoccupations and patois.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for patois
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patois
Noun
-
Many learners struggle with deciding whether to focus on MSA or a regional dialect, which impacts their ability to communicate effectively in real-world scenarios.—
Geoffrey Alphonso,
Forbes.com,
7 May 2025
-
Koine Greek—the dialect of the New Testament—was then the lingua franca of the eastern-Mediterranean world, although, of course, familiarity with it ranged from erudite scholarship to learning a few words for the sake of haggling in the marketplace.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Noun
-
While the terminology might not be scientific, there’s ample research that lends support to the idea as a whole.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
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Working on a film or television set is no different, in fact, often the most experienced players in these environments are recognized by their use of such terminology.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
With pan dulce baking in the oven and music in the air, this bilingual song introduces little ones to the joy of cooking with loved ones, family traditions, and beginner Spanish vocabulary.—
Fiona Tapp,
Parents,
8 May 2025
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The worst insults in his vocabulary, however, remain G-rated.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
8 May 2025
Noun
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The razor-sharp dialogue is rapid-fire, and proper delivery requires a keen understanding of the nature and nuance of language.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
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But a 2017 study found that even infants can distinguish between words in different languages.—
Leslie Garisto Pfaff,
Parents,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
But there’s a whole lot of other slang spoken around here.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
12 May 2025
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The name of the new bourbon is Darts, which is a slang term for cigarettes that seems to be more common among Canadians and Australians than Americans.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
4 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patois.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patois. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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