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
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Examples Sentences
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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.
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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
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Another challenge is the inherent complexity of the Arabic language, including its intricate grammar, different dialects and unique script.Geoffrey Alphonso, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
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Many live in complex social groups, communicate in different dialects, pass on culture through generations, engage in play and even grieve the loss of family and friends as was the case here.Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The situation was, to use Kraft’s terminology this week, untenable.Chad Graff, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
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Judge John Robert Blakey held a charge conference for attorneys on Jan. 2, when prosecutors and the defense teams discussed terminology used in the indictment.Jim Talamonti | The Center Square contributor, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Some assert that generative AI is going to slowly but surely change our vocabulary.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
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Annotated Liz Tracey April 19, 2024 Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language declared Americans free from the tyranny of British institutions and their vocabularies.The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The Malayalam feature marks KVN’s entry into the language as the production house continues expanding its pan-Indian footprint.Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Jan. 2025
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After graduating from her language studies in 1948, Rosita traveled on a nun-chaperoned trip to London that was designed to improve her English.Luke Leitch, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The tour title stems from a viral December 2023 livestream in which Drake debuted the alter ego Anita Max Win, a playful nod to gambling slang.Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 30 Dec. 2024
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The slang phrase refers to a temporary loss of ambition, drive and the desire to engage, create and consume.Samantha Conti, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near patois
Cite this Entry
“Patois.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patois. Accessed 14 Jan. 2025.
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