pidgin

== English == === Etymology === From pidgin English, from a Chinese Pidgin English pronunciation of English business during trade in the Far East. All attestations of pidgin from the first half of the nineteenth century given in the third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary mean “business; an action, occupation, or affair” (the earliest being from 1807). Other suggested derivations include: Hebrew פִּדְיוֹן (pidyón, “exchange; trade; redemption”) Chinese pronunciation of Portuguese ocupação (“occupation; business”) South Seas pronunciation of beach Portuguese baixo (“low”) === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpɪ.d͡ʒɪn/ (US) enPR: pĭjʹən, IPA(key): /ˈpɪ.d͡ʒən/ Rhymes: -ɪdʒən, -ɪdʒɪn Homophone: pigeon === Noun === pidgin (countable and uncountable, plural pidgins) (linguistics) An amalgamation of two disparate languages, used by two populations having no common language as a lingua franca to communicate with each other, lacking formalized grammar and having a small, utilitarian vocabulary and no native speakers. The speech is slow and supported by mime and gesture. Synonym: baragouin (archaic, idiomatic) A person's business, occupation, work, or trade (also spelt as pigeon). ==== Usage notes ==== Some pidgins that have developed into creoles nevertheless (confusingly) retain the word "pidgin" in their names. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== pidgin English ==== Translations ==== === See also === creole Creole === References === === Further reading === Pidgin English - English Dictionary: from Webster's Dictionary - the Rosetta Edition. == Catalan == === Etymology === Borrowed from English pidgin, from Chinese Pidgin English pidgin, from English business. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central, Northwestern) [ˈpid.ʒin] IPA(key): (Valencia) [ˈpid.d͡ʒin] === Noun === pidgin m (plural pidgins) pidgin === Further reading === “pidgin”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 == Chinese Pidgin English == === Alternative forms === píǧin (Hall spelling) === Etymology === From English business. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈpɪd͡ʒɪn] === Noun === pidgin business affair == Polish == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English pidgin, from pidgin English, from a Chinese Pidgin English pronunciation of English business during trade in the Far East. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈpi.d͡ʐɘn/ Rhymes: -id͡ʐɘn Syllabification: pi‧dgin === Noun === pidgin m inan (linguistics) alternative spelling of pidżyn ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “pidgin”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎[1] (in Polish) == Portuguese == === Pronunciation === Hyphenation: pid‧gin === Noun === pidgin m (plural pidgins) (linguistics) pidgin (amalgamation of two languages having no native speakers) === Further reading === “pidgin”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Spanish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈpidxin/ [ˈpið̞.xĩn] Rhymes: -idxin Syllabification: pid‧gin === Noun === pidgin m (plural pidgins or pidgin) (linguistics) pidgin (amalgamation of two languages having no native speakers) === Further reading === “pidgin”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025