Creole

[ kree-ohl ]

noun

1. a person born in the West Indies or Spanish America but of European, usually Spanish, ancestry.
2. a person born in Louisiana but of usually French ancestry.
3. Sometimes cre·ole. a person of mixed Black and European, especially French or Spanish, ancestry who speaks a creolized form of French or Spanish.
4. Usually cre·ole. creole language ( def ).
5. the creolized French language of the descendants of the original settlers of Louisiana. Compare Cajun ( def 2 ).
6. Haitian Creole ( def ).
7. Usually cre·ole. Archaic. a Black person born in the Americas, as distinguished from one brought there from Africa.

adjective

1. Sometimes cre·ole. relating to or characteristic of a Creole or Creoles.
2. Usually cre·ole. Cooking. indicating a spicy sauce or dish, especially one made with tomatoes, peppers, onions, celery, and seasonings, and often served with rice.
3. Sometimes cre·ole. bred or growing in a country, but of foreign origin, as an animal or plant.

Creole

¹

/ ˈkriːəʊl /

noun

1. sometimes not capital in the Caribbean and Latin America
   1. a native-born person of European, esp Spanish, ancestry
   2. a native-born person of mixed European and African ancestry who speaks a French or Spanish creole
   3. a native-born Black person as distinguished from one brought from Africa
2. (in Louisiana and other Gulf States of the US) a native-born person of French ancestry
3. the creolized French spoken in Louisiana, esp in New Orleans

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of any of these peoples

creole

²

/ ˈkriːəʊl /

noun

1. See pidgin
   a language that has its origin in extended contact between two language communities, one of which is generally European. It incorporates features from each and constitutes the mother tongue of a community Compare pidgin

adjective

1. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of creole
2. (of a sauce or dish) containing or cooked with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, etc

Other Words From

• half-Cre·ole adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Creole¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from French, from Spanish criollo, from Portuguese crioulo “native,” derivative of criar “to bring up,” from Latin creāre; create

Word History and Origins

Origin of Creole¹

C17: via French and Spanish probably from Portuguese crioulo slave born in one's household, person of European ancestry born in the colonies, probably from criar to bring up, from Latin creāre to create

Example Sentences

It was one of five separate Masses, including in Spanish, English, Haitian-Creole, and Italian.

From The Daily Beast

The priest for the Creole ceremony was Father Marcel Saint Jean.

From The Daily Beast

There was instead the very best and LaChanze proved how right it is that her name means “the Charmed One” in Creole.

From The Daily Beast

The grilled langoustines and seafood gratin are out of this world, as is the locally flavored creole rice.

From The Daily Beast

The most authentic Creole cooking is found in private homes.

From The Daily Beast

The action was at first a little confusing to Edna, but she soon lent herself readily to the Creole's gentle caress.

From Project Gutenberg

You know that I come of tough fiber—of that old Creole race of Pontelliers that dry up and finally blow away.

From Project Gutenberg

On the arrival of the court many of the old Creole families hastened to the capital to greet their sovereigns.

From Project Gutenberg

The Creole cane takes the hill, and, though less productive, is supposed to yield sugar of a better quality.

From Project Gutenberg

Many of the Indian women have married the creole Portuguese; intermarriages between creole women and Indian men are more rare.

From Project Gutenberg