Creole

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈkriəʊl/
• Rhymes: -iəʊl
• US enPR: krēʹōl, IPA: /ˈkrioÊŠl/
• Rhymes: -ioÊŠl

Origin

An adaptation of the Castilian Spanish criollo ("homey, local yokel"), from Portuguese crioulo, diminutive of cria ("person raised in one’s house, servant"), from Portuguese criar ("to rear, to bring up"), from Latin creo ("to create"), which came into English via French between 1595 and 1605.

Full definition of creole

Noun

1. (linguistics) A lect formed from two or more languages which has developed from a pidgin to become a first language.

Derived terms

• creolisation, creolization
• creolise, creolize
• creoloid
• post-creole continuum