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pig Latin
pig Latinnouna form of language, used especially by children, that is derived from ordinary English by moving the first consonant or consonant cluster of each word to the end of the word and adding the sound (ā), as in eakspay igpay atinlay for “speak pig Latin.”
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Pig Latin
Pig Latinnouna secret language used by children in which any consonants at the beginning of a word are placed at the end, followed by -ay; for example cathedral becomes athedralcay
pig Latin
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of pig Latin
First recorded in 1840–45
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.
It’s likely that most audience members will understand “vile rat astard-bay” without resorting to a dictionary because pig Latin is still a living language.
From New York Times • May 22, 2024
We use names, frontward, backward, in pig Latin.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 22, 2022
The revelations from Richards' old podcast raise a number of questions, including, among others, what an adult man was doing speaking pig Latin.
From Salon • Aug. 19, 2021
I’m not sure how you could “James-proof” “Jeopardy!” — maybe, just maybe, if the clues were all in pig Latin, it would slow him down.
From Washington Post • Jun. 2, 2019
He stared at me like I’d just spoken in pig Latin.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
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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.