Thesaurus results for PATOIS

patois

noun

ˈpa-ˌtwä

Definition of patois

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of patois That’s for sure when people speak patois, a vernacular version of English that’s based on a culture’s intonation. — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 4 June 2026 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

Silvio Carta’s Giniu Gin takes its name from the Sardinian word for juniper, placing both the plant and the island dialect at the center of the product’s identity.

— Layne Randolph, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Rusyn, which enjoys protected minority-language status in Slovakia and Poland, is treated within Ukraine as a mere dialect.

— Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026

Definition of dialect

Noun

Speaker attribution, sentence structure, terminology and contextual interpretation have already been determined.

— Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Earning certification typically takes two years or more and requires about 95 percent accuracy on dictation testing, command of legal and medical terminology, and in many states a license.

— K.H. Koehler, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Definition of terminology

Noun

The vocabulary may become more sophisticated, the sentences more polished, but the person slowly disappears.

— Dr. Liz Doe Stone, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
The campaign lands at a moment when terms such as valuation, burn rate and EBITDA have become everyday vocabulary.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 July 2026

Definition of vocabulary

Noun

Senators Lummis and Bernie Moreno (OH) met with White House officials to discuss the bill and explore potential ethics language.

— Cleve Mesidor, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
The film boasts an A-list lineup for its English language voice cast, with stars including Ayo Edebiri, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Finn Wolfhard, Rachel House and Werner Herzog.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 20 July 2026

Definition of language

Noun

Kerr, for example, questioned Valdez’s command of English given his use of Caló, a culturally specific dialect that blends Mexican Spanish slang with English.

— Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
Their influence stretched beyond music into fashion, dance trends and slang, and as member Pimpin' noted, fans are still doing the group's signature dance more than two decades later, something a SeaWorld whale recently proved.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 23 June 2026