plural patois
ˈpa-ˌtwäz 
ˈpä-
1
a
: a dialect other than the standard or literary dialect
b
: uneducated or provincial speech
2
: the characteristic special language of an occupational or social group : jargon
Synonyms
Examples of patois in a Sentence
the medical patois that the hospital staffers used among themselves was incomprehensible to me
Recent Examples on the Web
Casting themselves as high priests of pop culture, the duo encapsulated gay-millennial preoccupations and patois.
—
Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
But perhaps the most evident connection is a sense of individuality that’s preserved in the pockets of patois spoken across both the island and the bayou—the French Creole dialect is still alive and doing very well.
—Essence, 20 June 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for patois 
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.
Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
But perhaps the most evident connection is a sense of individuality that’s preserved in the pockets of patois spoken across both the island and the bayou—the French Creole dialect is still alive and doing very well.
—Essence, 20 June 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for patois
Dictionary Entries Near patois
Cite this Entry
“Patois.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patois. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share