dialect
noun
di·a·lect
ˈdī-ə-ˌlekt 
often attributive
1
linguistics
a
: a regional variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them a single language
the Doric dialect of ancient Greek
a dialect of Chinese spoken in Hong Kong
b
: one of two or more cognate (see cognate entry 1 sense 3a) languages
French and Italian are Romance dialects.
c
: a variety of a language used by the members of a group
… such dialects as politics and advertising …—
Philip Howard
Philip Howard
d
: a variety of language whose identity is fixed by a factor other than geography (such as social class)
spoke a peasant dialect
f
: a version of a computer programming language
2
: manner or means of expressing oneself : phraseology
Examples of dialect in a Sentence
They speak a southern dialect of French.
The author uses dialect in his writing.
The play was hard to understand when the characters spoke in dialect.
Recent Examples on the Web
Steven Gebelin, who represented Puig in 2021 and 2022, testified at trial that his then-client tried to be helpful during the interview but, because the interpreter’s Spanish dialect differed from Puig’s, his answers were translated poorly.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Puig’s former attorney Steven Gebelin testified that during the January 2022 interview, Puig tried to be helpful in answering the investigators’ questions and the interpreter struggled with Puig’s Spanish dialect, according to the New York Times.
—Jaimie Ding, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
The music, dialect, sense of humour, and resourcefulness often associated with this particular island in the North Atlantic feel intertwined with their queerness.
—Hazlitt, 4 Feb. 2026
Gebelin said that the government lacked interest in Puig’s answers during the interview, and that the interpreter struggled in her role, given Puig’s Spanish language dialect differed from her own.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dialect
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Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Puig’s former attorney Steven Gebelin testified that during the January 2022 interview, Puig tried to be helpful in answering the investigators’ questions and the interpreter struggled with Puig’s Spanish dialect, according to the New York Times.
—Jaimie Ding, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
The music, dialect, sense of humour, and resourcefulness often associated with this particular island in the North Atlantic feel intertwined with their queerness.
—Hazlitt, 4 Feb. 2026
Gebelin said that the government lacked interest in Puig’s answers during the interview, and that the interpreter struggled in her role, given Puig’s Spanish language dialect differed from her own.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dialect
Cite this Entry
“Dialect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dialect. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dialect
noun
di·a·lect
ˈdī-ə-ˌlekt
1
: a regional variety of a language differing from the standard language
2
: a variety of a language used by the members of a particular group or class
peasant dialect
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