/pat"wah, pah"twah/ ; Fr. /pann twann"/ , n. , pl. patois /pat"wahz, pah"twahz/ ; Fr. /pann twann"/ .
1. a regional form of a language, esp. of French, differing from the standard, literary form of the language.
2. a rural or provincial form of speech.
3. jargon; cant; argot.
[ 1635-45; patoier to handle clumsily, der. of pate paw ]