What does "patois" mean?
A regional dialect (usually one considered substandard) of a language (especially French).
Patois
/pæˈtwɑ/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A regional dialect (usually one considered substandard) of a language (especially French).
- Grammar: patois is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: vernacular, acadian, anglo-indian, argot.
- Useful contrasts: formal language, formal register, official language.
- Usage evidence: In the sunny blue-sky morning of the 13th of April of 2023, I was sitting in the teahouse drinking my iced black tea. Lizbeth the Mexican came through the door, and we greeted each other, she still teaching Dance Fitness and Zumba at several schools here on Lulu Island. I suppose some people at the teahouse miss the noisy patois of Taglish of Greg and me. I was just reading my Japanese-language fantasy book Tabi no Nakama, or The Fellowship of the Ring, of the famous J.R.R. Tolkien. Walking back to my house, I saw Nikki the Cypriot Greek and her Korean neighbour, as they continued their six rounds around the neighbourhood block.
How to use "patois"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "patois" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "patois" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "patois" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "patois" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "patois" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "vernacular" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "patois", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A regional dialect (usually one considered substandard) of a language (especially French). countable, uncountable
"[The Sundanese] are regarded as relatively barbarous, and in the company of Malays or Javanese, they are themselves ashamed of their dialect, which is looked on as a sort of rude patois."
- 2 a regional dialect of a language (especially French); usually considered substandard wordnet
- 3 Any of various French or Occitan dialects spoken in France. countable, uncountable
- 4 a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves) wordnet
- 5 Creole French in the Caribbean (especially in Dominica, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti). countable, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Jamaican Patois, a Jamaican creole language based primarily on English and African languages but also having influences from Spanish, Portuguese, and Hindi. Jamaica, countable, uncountable
- 7 Jargon or cant. countable, uncountable
"In the patois of insurance, the winery will go bare into this year’s burning season, which experts predict to be especially fierce."
Proper Noun
- 1 Alternative form of Patwa. alt-of, alternative
Antonyms
formal languageformal registerofficial languagestandard English
Example
"In the sunny blue-sky morning of the 13th of April of 2023, I was sitting in the teahouse drinking my iced black tea. Lizbeth the Mexican came through the door, and we greeted each other, she still teaching Dance Fitness and Zumba at several schools here on Lulu Island. I suppose some people at the teahouse miss the noisy patois of Taglish of Greg and me. I was just reading my Japanese-language fantasy book Tabi no Nakama, or The Fellowship of the Ring, of the famous J.R.R. Tolkien. Walking back to my house, I saw Nikki the Cypriot Greek and her Korean neighbour, as they continued their six rounds around the neighbourhood block."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "patois"?
Common synonyms include: vernacular, acadian, anglo-indian, argot, argot, argots.
How do you use "patois" in a sentence?
In the sunny blue-sky morning of the 13th of April of 2023, I was sitting in the teahouse drinking my iced black tea. Lizbeth the Mexican came through the door, and we greeted each other, she still teaching Dance Fitness and Zumba at several schools here on Lulu Island. I suppose some people at the teahouse miss the noisy patois of Taglish of Greg and me. I was just reading my Japanese-language fantasy book Tabi no Nakama, or The Fellowship of the Ring, of the famous J.R.R. Tolkien. Walking back to my house, I saw Nikki the Cypriot Greek and her Korean neighbour, as they continued their six rounds around the neighbourhood block.
How do you pronounce "patois"?
Pronounced /pæˈtwɑ/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French patois (“regional dialect or language”), c. 1635.