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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of patois
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
One complaint was Jar Jar’s accent, which some perceived as derived from Jamaican patois.
—Carlos Aguilar, New York Times, 3 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for patois
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
One complaint was Jar Jar’s accent, which some perceived as derived from Jamaican patois.
—Carlos Aguilar, New York Times, 3 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for patois
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patois
Noun
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To prepare, Reid worked with a dialect coach and learned the specific physicality associated with Natalia's condition.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
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In the former Scandinavian territories, there are words that worked their way into the regional dialect.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In computing terminology, System 2 compiles its complex high-dimensional, symbolic code into System 1 executables.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
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Including industry-specific terminology and mirroring language from the job advert can strengthen your application and improve your chances of passing initial screening processes.—
Andrew Fennell,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Ann was ultimately presented with hundreds of sentences, all based on a limited vocabulary of 1,024 words.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
2 Apr. 2025
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Mastering language—with its nuanced vocabulary and conceptual frameworks—amplifies your ability to inspire teams and drive innovation.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Users will be able to create their AI Twin in a few minutes by taking a selfie and talking for a few minutes introducing themselves and an AI Twin of them is created that can talk, chat, and sound just like them and can talk in 32 languages.—
Elizabeth Stanton,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Advanced tools like optical character recognition (OCR) and natural language processing (NLP) extract key data— for example, sender details, dates, and document types — instantly. 2.—
Chris Gallagher,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Gopnik is a derogatory Russian slang word that roughly translates to thug.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
1 Apr. 2025
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Altman added, referring to a gay slang term for men who are young, boyish and slim.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patois.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patois. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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