patois

UK: /ˈpætwɑː/

US: /ˈpætwɑ, ˈpɑtwɑ, pæˈtwɑ/

US: (pat′wä, pä′twä; Fr. pa twa′)

Inflections of 'patois' (n): npl: patois

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pat•ois /ˈpætwɑ, ˈpɑtwɑ, pæˈtwɑ/   n. [countable] , pl. pat•ois /ˈpætwɑz, ˈpɑtwɑz, pæˈtwɑz/.  

1. Linguistics a form of a language distinctive to and spoken in a given area, differing from the standard, literary form of the language.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pat•ois  (pat′wä, pä′twä; Fr. pa twa′), n., pl. pat•ois (pat′wäz, pä′twäz; Fr. pa twa′). 

1. Linguistics a regional form of a language, esp. of French, differing from the standard, literary form of the language.
2. Linguistics a rural or provincial form of speech.
3. Linguistics jargon;
   cant;
   argot.

• French: literally clumsy speech; akin to Old French patoier to handle clumsily, der. of pate paw
• 1635–45

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

patois / ˈpætwɑː patwa/ noun ( patois / ˈpætwɑːz patwa/)

1. an unwritten regional dialect of a language, esp of French, usually considered substandard
2. the jargon of particular group

Etymology: 17th Century: from Old French: rustic speech, perhaps from patoier to handle awkwardly, from patte paw