Synonyms for dialect
Most common
language tongue accent idiom vernacular patois variety provincialism
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
2. Patois
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
A lect (often a regional or minority language) as part of a group or family of languages, especially if they are viewed as a single language, or if contrasted with a standardized idiom that is considered the 'true' form of the language (for example, Bavarian as contrasted with Standard German).
- n. 2
A variety of a language that is characteristic of a particular area, community, or social group, differing from other varieties of the same language in relatively minor ways as regards grammar, phonology, and lexicon.
Forms
- Plural
- dialects → idioms, accents, languages, tongues…
Choose the right word
A dialect is a special mode of speaking a language peculiar to some locality or class, not recognized as in accordance with the best usage; a barbarism is a perversion of a language by ignorant foreigners, or some usage akin to that.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- language Few people can speak a foreign language perfectly.
- tongue You can use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue.
- accent The accent of this word is on the second syllable.
- idiom That idiom is as phony as a coin with my face on it.
- vernacular I write Berber in its Kabyle vernacular form.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| dialect | steady | |
| language | rising | |
| tongue | rising | |
| accent | rising | |
| idiom | steady | |
| vernacular | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- idiom3, lingo2
- 6 letters
- speech1, tongue1, accent2, jargon2, patois2
- 7 letters
- variety4
- 8 letters
- language2
- 10 letters
- vernacular4
- 11 letters
- phraseology5
- 13 letters
- provincialism5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (idiom3 = 3 syllables).