/ ˈpɪdʒɪn; NAmE / noun [ U ]
1.
a simple form of a language, especially English, Portuguese or Dutch, with a limited number of words, that are used together with words from a local language. It is used when people who do not speak the same language need to talk to each other.
2.
Pidgin = Tok Pisin
3.
pidgin English, French, Japanese, etc. a way of speaking a language that uses simple words and forms, used when a person does not speak the language well, or when he or she is talking to sb who does not speak the language well :
I tried to get my message across in my pidgin Italian.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 19th cent.: Chinese alteration of English business .