How to pronounce pidgin
American English pronunciation
PIJ-in
- IPA
- /ˈpɪdʒɪn/
- Syllables
- PIJ · in (2 syllables, stress on the 1st)
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What pidgin means
A simple mixed language for groups who share no language
In a sentence: The sailors and the market sellers spoke a pidgin so they could bargain at the dock.
Where it comes from: It's thought to be the way traders in East Asia once said the word business, though other origins have been suggested. The oldest record, from 1807, uses it to mean business.
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