Word
dialect
Phoneticsdi·alect
US/ˈdaɪəˌɫɛkt/
UK/dˈaɪəlɛkt/
Definitions
01regional language variety
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a form of a language spoken in a specific area, with its own grammar and vocabulary.
n. a variety of a language characteristic of a particular geographic area or social group, differing from the standard form in phonology, lexicon, and syntax.
“The local dialect in this mountain village is quite different from the language spoken in the capital.”
“Linguists spent years documenting the rural dialect, noting that many of its grammatical structures had remained unchanged for centuries.”
Pitfall
He speaks with a strong dialect.
He speaks a strong dialect.
A dialect is the language variety itself; 'accent' refers only to the pronunciation. You speak a dialect, but you speak with an accent.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02programming language variant
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. a specific version of a computer programming language.
n. a specialized version or extension of a programming language that shares the same core syntax but includes unique features or libraries.
“The team decided to use a specific dialect of SQL that was optimized for their database.”
“While the core logic remains the same, this particular dialect of Lisp introduces several macros that are incompatible with the standard implementation.”
03animal vocalization
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical
n. the different sounds or songs that animals of the same species make in different areas.
n. a regional variation in the vocalizations of a specific animal species, most commonly observed in songbirds or cetaceans.
“Researchers discovered that whales in the Pacific have a different dialect than those in the Atlantic.”
“The study suggests that songbird dialects are culturally transmitted, as young males learn the specific acoustic patterns of the local population.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“She is designed and trained to understand a wide range of accents and dialects and supports 17 languages in addition to English.” “Chadian children may speak local dialects, while many Sudanese pupils speak Arabic.” Etymology
From Middle French dialecte, from Latin dialectos, dialectus, from Ancient Greek διάλεκτος (diálektos, “conversation, the language of a country or a place or a nation, the local idiom which derives from a dominant language”), from διαλέγομαι (dialégomai, “to participate in a dialogue”), from διά (diá, “inter, through”) + λέγω (légō, “to speak”); by surface analysis, dia- + -lect.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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