patois
Americannoun
-
patois
plural
-
a regional form of a language, especially of French, differing from the standard, literary form of the language.
-
a rural or provincial form of speech.
-
jargon; cant; argot.
noun
-
an unwritten regional dialect of a language, esp of French, usually considered substandard
-
the jargon of particular group
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of patois
1635–45; < French: literally clumsy speech; akin to Old French patoier to handle clumsily, derivative of pate paw
Explanation
The noun patois describes the way you talk, like the patois of New Englanders who tend to drop the letter r: "Drive yah cah to Hahvahd Yahd," while others say, "Drive your car to Harvard Yard." Patois, which rhymes with "voilà," is speech used in a particular region, profession, or group. It is a French word that originated as "rough speech." Examples of patois are found in every region of the world, but perhaps the most famous is Jamaican. "Ah wha dat yuh ah luok pan?," is Jamaican patois for, "What’s that you’re looking at?" Patois is also the "jargon" or "lingo" used by a group, such as musicians whose patois is lost on non-musicians.
Vocabulary lists containing patois
Vivacious Vernacular: Words About Slang
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Other Wes Moore
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Sun Is Also a Star
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. James does not simply reproduce the island’s singular patois; he uses it to create abrasive auditory rhythms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Bulgarian singer Dara has the night's best staging on Bangaranga - a nonsensical typhoon of tropical pop, based around a word from Jamaican patois that means "a joyful kind of disorder".
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
The patois changes from office to office and company to company, and the meanings behind certain terms shift from person to person.
From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2025
“I went to prison so you won’t have to,” he declared, in a weird, highly caffeinated surfer patois.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2024
I knew the relaxed patois of the South Side and the high-minded diction of the Ivy League, and now on top of that I spoke Lawyer, too.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
