Dialect
noun /ˈdaɪ.ə.lɛkt/ — A regional or social variety of a language.
Definition
A variety of a language that differs from other varieties in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, spoken in a particular region or by a particular social group. All standard languages are dialects that achieved political dominance.
Beyond the definition
A dialect is home, audible. When someone shifts into their native dialect, they are shifting into the place where they first learned to speak — the voice that knows where they are from.
Origin & history
From Greek 'dialektos' (discourse, conversation, way of speaking); from 'dialegesthai' (to converse). The way of speaking that passes through a community.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The linguist's dictum: a language is a dialect with an army and a navy.
She had worked hard to neutralize her regional dialect in professional settings — and felt the loss of it more sharply with every decade.
Dialect poetry carries the full weight of place: the sound and the syntax inseparable from the landscape that produced them.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Dialect” when the meaning fits your context: A variety of a language that differs from other varieties in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, spoken in a particular region or by a particular social group. All standard languages are dialects that achieved political dominance.
Synonyms
regional variety, vernacular, patois
Antonyms
standard language, formal register
Related words
Dialect vs accent
An accent refers strictly to pronunciation patterns. A dialect includes distinct grammar and vocabulary unique to a specific region or social group.
Compare this word
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Casual Local Speech Style
Friends speaking and laughing in a warm café, relaxed and comfortable in their conversation.
The natural, community-specific way they communicate shows a variety of language. It illustrates that every standard language was once a regional or social variation that gained political and historical dominance.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Dialect" mean?
Dialect is noun meaning: A regional or social variety of a language.. A variety of a language that differs from other varieties in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, spoken in a particular region or by a particular social group. All standard languages are dialects that achieved political dominance.
Where does the word "Dialect" come from?
From Greek 'dialektos' (discourse, conversation, way of speaking); from 'dialegesthai' (to converse). The way of speaking that passes through a community.