Masculine

patois

Meaning

Concepts

(invariable, masculine) patois (French dialect)
(invariable, masculine) patois (any regional dialect)
(Louisiana, invariable, masculine) saying, maxim, proverb, adage

Pronounced as (IPA)

/pa.twa/

Inherited from Middle French

Inherited from Old French

Cognate with Dutch

Cognate with Low German

In summary

Inherited from Middle French patois (“local dialect”), from Old French patois (“incomprehensible speech, rude language”), alteration (due to influence of the suffix -ois in words relating to nationalities and languages) of earlier *patoi, a deverbal of patoier (“to gesticulate, handle clumsily, paw”), from pate (“paw”), from Vulgar Latin *patta (“paw, foot”), from Frankish *patta (“paw, sole of the foot”), from Proto-Germanic *pat-, *paþa- (“to walk, tread, go, step”), of uncertain origin and relation. Possibly from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pent-/*(s)pat- (“path; to walk”), a variant of *pent-/*pat- (“path; to go”). Cognate with Dutch pat, Low German pedden (“to step, tread”). Related to pad, path.