pidginnoun [ C or U ]
uk/ˈpɪdʒ.ɪn/us/ˈpɪdʒ.ɪn/a language that has developed from a mixture of two languages. It is used as a way of communicating by people who do not speak each other's languages.
pidgin English, French, etc. informal
English, French, etc. when it is spoken in a simple way by someone who does not speak that language well:
"He come here?" he asked in pidgin English.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Forms of languages & specialist dialects
- acrolect
- argot
- basilect
- cant
- colloquialism
- legalese
- lingo
- lingua franca
- metalanguage
- newspeak
- non-standard
- oral
- patois
- plain English
- rhyming slang
- slang
- slangy
- speak
- telegramese
- tongue
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