pidgin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"To communicate, the Africans borrowed some vocabulary from the British and incorporated their own pronunciation and syntax to form a pidgin thing. Over the generations, it became perfected and developed structure and grammar."

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2025

Trying to free herself, she began to write in Hawaiian pidgin, a language she both grew up surrounded by and was told by others — including her mother — to avoid out in the world.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2023

Sometimes called pidgin English, the language is widely used and understood across regions and ethnic groups in the nation of 200 million people, although most books and newspapers on sale in Nigeria are in English.

From Reuters • Jul. 14, 2021

Bowen and Tui Asau all have ties to Hawaii, lending authenticity to the book’s polyglot melting-pot gradations of dialect, anchored by Hilo-born actress Kim’s voicing of the matriarch Malia’s warm, flowing pidgin.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 5, 2020

“Lilly boy peek?” he said in pidgin, and when Cal closed the door and the latch clicked Lee said quickly, “Your father’s home. You’d better go in.”

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck