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n. 1. a. A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a variety of speech differing from the standard literary language or speech pattern of the culture in which it exists: Cockney is a dialect of English. b. A variety of language that with other varieties constitutes a single language of which no single variety is standard: the dialects of Ancient Greek. 2. The language peculiar to the members of a group, especially in an occupation; jargon: the dialect of science. 3. The manner or style of expressing oneself in language or the arts. 4. A language considered as part of a larger family of languages or a linguistic branch. Not in scientific use: Spanish and French are Romance dialects. [French dialecte, from Old French, from Latin dialectus, form of speech, from Greek dialektos, speech, from dialegesthai, to discourse, use a dialect : dia-, between, over; see DIA- + legesthai, middle voice of legein, to speak; see leg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] di′a·lectal adj. di′a·lectal·ly adv. |
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