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 rough 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
Similarly, when Mari speaks on the phone to her clients, her Miami dialect drops completely.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 Mar. 2025
Declan has been reading up on local lore, revealing that there are 13 different dialects in the area, which also boasts a church made entirely of bundled hay.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2025
Every language has its dialects, and each dialect can have its unique spin on colloquialisms.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 24 Jan. 2025
Built in 2008, the property is called Pa Gomo, which means ‘on the mountain’ in Shana, a South African dialect; that makes perfect sense, as the property is situated on 35 acres at the base of Hawn Mountain.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dialect
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Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 Mar. 2025
Declan has been reading up on local lore, revealing that there are 13 different dialects in the area, which also boasts a church made entirely of bundled hay.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2025
Every language has its dialects, and each dialect can have its unique spin on colloquialisms.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 24 Jan. 2025
Built in 2008, the property is called Pa Gomo, which means ‘on the mountain’ in Shana, a South African dialect; that makes perfect sense, as the property is situated on 35 acres at the base of Hawn Mountain.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dialect
Cite this Entry
“Dialect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dialect. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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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