Recreolize

verb

verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To modify a language by introducing additional elements of the matrilect.

    "If one parent remains culturally dominant, however, the creole becomes a satellite ('satellect' or 'acolutholect') to that dominant language, which may be termed the 'matrilect'. In time, the creole normally begins recreolizing with the matrilect by borrowing from it. The different degrees in which the matrilect has been mixed into the creole constitute a 'gradatum' of overlapping systems in which the farthest from the matrilect at any moment is termed the 'basilect' by William Stewart."

Example

More examples

"If one parent remains culturally dominant, however, the creole becomes a satellite ('satellect' or 'acolutholect') to that dominant language, which may be termed the 'matrilect'. In time, the creole normally begins recreolizing with the matrilect by borrowing from it. The different degrees in which the matrilect has been mixed into the creole constitute a 'gradatum' of overlapping systems in which the farthest from the matrilect at any moment is termed the 'basilect' by William Stewart."

Etymology

From re- + creolize.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.