patois

noun

pa·​tois ˈpa-ˌtwä How to pronounce patois (audio) ˈpä- How to pronounce patois (audio)
plural patois ˈpa-ˌtwäz How to pronounce patois (audio)
ˈpä-
Synonyms of patoisnext
1
a
: a dialect other than the standard or literary dialect
b
: uneducated or provincial speech
2
: the characteristic special language of an occupational or social group : jargon

Synonyms of patois

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Examples of patois in a Sentence

the medical patois that the hospital staffers used among themselves was incomprehensible to me
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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.
Jamaica’s official language and civilizational ideal was the Queen’s English, but the island’s lingua franca was the marvelous variant of that tongue called patois. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 In truth, plenty of New Yorkers are both privileged and come from elsewhere, but still fall into the rhythm and the patois that has long defined the city. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for patois

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of patois was in 1643

Rhymes for patois

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Browse Nearby Words

Patoco
patois
patola
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Cite this Entry

“Patois.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patois. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about patois

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