Creole

[ kree-ohl ]
/ ˈkri oʊl /

noun

adjective

Origin of Creole

1595–1605; < French < Spanish criollo < Portuguese crioulo native, derivative of criar to bring up < Latin creāre; see create

OTHER WORDS FROM Creole

half-Cre·ole, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for creole

British Dictionary definitions for creole (1 of 2)

creole
/ (ˈkriːəʊl) /

noun

a language that has its origin in extended contact between two language communities, one of which is generally European. It incorporates features from each and constitutes the mother tongue of a community Compare pidgin

adjective

denoting, relating to, or characteristic of creole
(of a sauce or dish) containing or cooked with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, etc

Word Origin for creole

C17: via French and Spanish probably from Portuguese crioulo slave born in one's household, person of European ancestry born in the colonies, probably from criar to bring up, from Latin creāre to create

British Dictionary definitions for creole (2 of 2)

Creole
/ (ˈkriːəʊl) /

noun

(sometimes not capital) (in the Caribbean and Latin America)
  1. a native-born person of European, esp Spanish, ancestry
  2. a native-born person of mixed European and African ancestry who speaks a French or Spanish creole
  3. a native-born Black person as distinguished from one brought from Africa
(in Louisiana and other Gulf States of the US) a native-born person of French ancestry
the creolized French spoken in Louisiana, esp in New Orleans

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of any of these peoples