as in dialect
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field
the medical patois that the hospital staffers used among themselves was incomprehensible to me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of patois
During a sketch set in a Caribbean church, comedian and first-time Saturday Night Live host Shane Gillis speaks confidently in Jamaican patois — generally a no-no for a white guy these days.
—
Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2024
Most of Levy's stories run fewer than 12 pages and feel like very long flash fiction, written in a voice dense with the chaotic patois of the internet.
—Leland Cheuk, NPR, 14 May 2024
One complaint was Jar Jar’s accent, which some perceived as derived from Jamaican patois.
—Carlos Aguilar, New York Times, 3 May 2024
Peddlers greet customers in Belize’s official language, English, or Kriol, the patois formed centuries ago when Britons brought enslaved Africans to what is now Belize.
—Simon Romero Alejandro Cegarra, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for patois 
Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2024
Most of Levy's stories run fewer than 12 pages and feel like very long flash fiction, written in a voice dense with the chaotic patois of the internet.
—Leland Cheuk, NPR, 14 May 2024
One complaint was Jar Jar’s accent, which some perceived as derived from Jamaican patois.
—Carlos Aguilar, New York Times, 3 May 2024
Peddlers greet customers in Belize’s official language, English, or Kriol, the patois formed centuries ago when Britons brought enslaved Africans to what is now Belize.
—Simon Romero Alejandro Cegarra, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for patois
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patois
Noun
-
The body of water first showed up on European maps in the 1500s and has had at least 32 names in different languages and dialects throughout the years.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
7 Jan. 2025
-
Much of the driving dialogue is in Irish, and most importantly, in the Ulster dialect.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
29 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Hardee’s has not provided public updates on its 2025 cage-free egg commitment, though sister brand Carl’s Jr. has already reached this goal in the U.S. Transparency extends from annual reports to labels on store shelves, where the proliferation of options and terminology can be daunting.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
-
Although the fires have brought devastation, Kimmel said, the last week has also been full of various lessons — including those on firefighting terminology and emergency responses.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Their project for this week was to make Zoom presentations on music vocabulary.—
Daniel Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
-
As sidekicks, Dreux and Alyssa share a value system, vocabulary and hearty appreciation for fun.—
Natalia Winkelman,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
According to Quartz, those incidents included the airline removing a passenger for wearing a crop top and another wearing clothing with explicit language.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Jan. 2025
-
Frank’s book, translated into more than 70 languages with over 30 million copies sold so far, reads like a nonfiction play at times.—
David G. Allan,
CNN,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Ghosting, a slang term typically used in dating, is when someone abruptly ends all communication without informing the other person as to why.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
24 Jan. 2025
-
Robinson called it the All Net Resort and Arena, using basketball slang for a shot so perfect the ball passes through the net without touching the rim.—
Nathan Fenno,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near patois
Cite this Entry
“Patois.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patois. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share