Dictionary of Louisiana Creole

The contents of this website remain the intellectual property of the following authors: Albert Valdman, Thomas A. Klingler, Margaret M. Marshall, Kevin J. Rottet

• Warning: There has been no censoring of the data, including offensive language or racial slurs.
• Orthography: Entries use the modern Kouri-Vini Orthography; however, the examples retain their original orthography based on Haitian Creole from the book. There are also several examples written in a French Orthography; these have also been left as is in the book. Additionally, the acute (à) and circumflex (â) when used for stress, preterit, or disambiguation, have not been included separately (i.e., aren't used).
• There are several variants for certain sounds that have not been included in the variants for entries. Please use the variants in quotations in place of the others when searching for words with the following sounds:
  • use "s" for /s/ ← s, ç
  • use "è" for /æ/ ← æ, è
  • use "i" for /ɪ/ ← ì, i
  • use "an" for /ã/ ← an, am, en, em
  • use "on" for /ɔ̃/ ← on, om
  • use "in" for /ɛ̃/ ← in, im
• Parts of Speech abbreviation correspondences:
  • adj. = Adjective
  • adv. = Adverb
  • adv.phr. = Adverbial Phrase
  • art.def. = Definite Article
  • art.indef. = Indefinite Article
  • conj. = Conjunction
  • dem. = Demonstrative
  • det. = Determiner
  • det.poss. = Possessive Determiner
  • f. = Feminine
  • int. = Interjection
  • interr.phr. = Interrogative Phrase
  • m. = Masculine
  • n. = Noun
  • n.phr. = Noun Phrase
  • num.card. = Cardinal Number
  • num.ord. = Ordinal Number
  • onom. = Onomatopoeia
  • pl. = Plural
  • place n. = Place Name
  • prep. = Preposition
  • pron. = Pronoun
  • pron.indef. = Indefinite Pronoun
  • pron.refl. = Reflexive Pronoun
  • pron.rel. = Relative Pronoun
  • prop.n. = Proper Noun
  • ptcl. = Preverbal Particle
  • sg. = Singular
  • v. = Verb
  • v.aux. = Auxiliary Verb
  • v.cop. = Copular Verb
  • v.intr. = Intransitive Verb
  • v.mod. = Modal Verb
  • v.phr. = Verb Phrase
  • v.refl. = Reflexive Verb
  • v.tr. = Transitive Verb
• Sources abbreviation correspondences (post-1960):
  • gen = (BT + CA + NE + PC + ST)
  • AN = Ancelet 1994
  • BT = Bayou Teche, field data
  • CA = Côte des Allemands, field data
  • DC = Clifton 1980
  • DT 77 = Tentchoff 1977
  • GY = Guidry, Richard
  • HW = Hebert Wiltz
  • MO 60 = Morgan 1960
  • MO 69 = Morgan 1969
  • MO 72 = Morgan 1972
  • NE = Neumann 1985
  • PC = Pointe Coupee, field data
  • ST = Saint Tammany, field data
  Sources abbreviation correspondences (pre-1960):
  • BD = Broussard 1942
  • BI = Bienvenu 1933
  • BO = Bourgeois 1927
  • DU = Durand 1930
  • FO T# = Fortier 1895
  • FO 1887 = Fortier 1887
  • GC1 = Cable 1886a
  • GC2 = Cable 1886b
  • JR = Jarreau 1931
  • KB = Krehbiel 1962
  • LA = Lavergne 1930
  • ME = Mercier 1881
  • ME 90 = Mercier 1890
  • ME 91 = Mercier 1891
  • PE = Perret 1933
  • T# = Neumann 1987 Text # (T12–T17 are satirized Creole, use with caution)
  • TM = Marie Augustin
  • TN = Tinker 1935
  • TP = Trappey 1916
  • WO = Marguerite Wogan

Website created by William S. Morales.

5139 entries found

• lœrak PC ( adv. )
  1. Gently (of a horse’s gait); doucement (en parlant du train d’un cheval).
     En chœval ki te pa marche lœrak A horse which doesn’t walk slowly. (PC) See examples
• ma No sources ( det.poss. )
  1. My; ma. cf. mo
• ma-d-milon PC ( n. )
  1. Pole around which hay is wrapped to make a haystack; bâton autour duquel on entoure le foin pour faire une meule.
• madam CA, PC ( n. ) madòm NE, PC madanm CA, PC madonm PC
  1. Mrs.; Madame.
     Madòm Bro plu malad jòrdi ke yèr. Mrs. Breaux is more sick today than she was yesterday. (NE) ♦ Avant personne achté li, Man Lapin cassé so laficelle et chapé. Before anyone bought her, Mrs. Rabbit broke her string and escaped. (T9) •jwe ti madam v.phr. To play house; jouer au ménage, jouer à la mère. cf. jwe See examples
  2. Wife; femme, épouse.
     Fonm koulè, li se kouri la, se vni kote vou-tchèn madòm rèsèvwa piti-la. The colored woman would come to your wife’s house, deliver the baby. (PC); Sa se mo fyanse. M ap ale marye li. Dan JANUARY, li sra mo madam. That’s my fiancée. I’m going to marry her. In January, she’ll be my wife. (CA) See examples
  3. Lady; dame.
     Se en madonm sa? Is that a lady? (PC) ♦Am vié macac qui semblé ain vié mam. An old monkey who looked like an old lady. (T25) See examples
• madlènn CA ( n. )
  1. Madeleine sausage (large smoked andouille in Vacherie); saucisse Madeleine (grande saucisse fumée à La Vacherie).
     Kan to tchou en kochon, daryè bout letrip-la se bout sa-a-la to fe en madlenn e sa. When you kill a pig, behind the end of the tripe, it’s that end you make a Madeleine sausage with that. (CA) See examples
• madra No sources ( n. )
  1. Madras cotton; madras.
     ♦ Calalou porté madras. Calalou is wearing madras cotton. (WO) See examples
• madriyé CA ( n. )
  1. Pole around which hay is wrapped to make a haystack; bâton autour duquel on entoure le foin pour faire une meule.
     Mo mèt mo madriye pou tchen difwan o sant pou peche li paye. Se en morso di bwa pou tòrd difwan antòr-la. I put a haystack pole to hold the hay in the center to prevent it from scattering. It’s a piece of wood to twist the hay around. (CA) See examples
• magazin BT, CA, MO 60, NE, PC ( n. ) mògazin PC lamagazin PC
  1. Barn; grange.
     Kon ton-la t ape vini rèlmonfre-fre, Fronswa menè se vach ondon en magazen . When the weather was getting really cold, François took his cows into a bam. (NE) ♦ Le swa li se ote so lapo, roule li e met li dan en kwon dan magazen mai la. In the evenings he would take off his skin, roll it up, and put it in a comer in his corn bam. (JR) •magazen mayi n.phr. (CA). Corn barn, corn crib; grange à maïs, coffre à maïs. Ye te gen paratònèr pou trape tònèr e zeklèr pou peche lamezon brile ou magazen mayi. They used to have lightning rods to catch the thunder and lightning to prevent the house or corn crib from burning. (CA) See examples
  2. Store, shop; magasin.
     A ki magazen lantour isit moun-ye se achte lez òt zafè, flarin, e zafè kòm sa? At what store around here did people used to buy other things, flour and things like that? (PC); Mo ale magazen achte banann. I went to the store to buy bananas. (CA) ♦ Ein jou’ Maîte vauyé yé dé chéché ein sceau di bè côté magasin. One day the Master sent them to get a bucket of butter at the store. (BD) •biskwi magazen n. Cracker; biscuit salé. cf. biskwi See examples
• mai gen, MO 60 ( n. ) mayi CA, PC
  1. Com; maïs.
     Mo sèrv du mai ekraze. I use ground com. (BT); De grèn mai. Kernels of com. (NE); Poul-la so lafal gro e mayi. That chicken’s craw is full of com. (CA) ♦ Mo pron en pwanie lafarin mayi; mo fe en bouyi avek sa. I take a handful of corn flour and I make porridge with that. (BI) •baton mayi n.phr. Corn stalk; tige de maïs. cf. baton •’cannes maïs' n.phr. Cornstalk; tige de maïs. cf. kann •dipen mai n.phr. Combread; pain de maïs. cf. pen •mayi tak-tak n.phr. (CA; PC). Popcorn; popcorn. •mai dou n.phr. (CA; PC; ST). Sweet com; maïs sucré. En chawe. E vole mai dou. A raccoon. He steals sweet com. (PC) •mai chalan n.phr. (PC). Sweet com; maïs sucré. •mai tann n.phr. (CA; PC). Sweet com; maïs sucré. Nou kase mai tann pou mete an ja. We shelled sweet corn for canning. (PC) • Li té gaien vayan mahi tanne. He had some beautiful sweet com. (T 14) See examples
• maji CA, MO 60 ( n. ) mazi MO 60
  1. Magic; magie.
     Mari tè fòr andan lamazi. Marie [Laveau] was an expert in magic. (MO 60) See examples
• majinin CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To imagine; imaginer.
     Li jich majinen mo di sa. Mo, mo pa di sa. He’s just imagining I said that. I didn’t say that. (CA) ♦ Mo mazin vou blié vou lot non ça Boss la done vou. I imagine you’ve forgotten your other name that your Boss gave you. (T14) See examples
• major BT ( n., adj. )
  1. Major, adult; adulte, majeur. Mo
     gen de tit fiy ; lez-ot major, lez-ot tou mariye. I have two young daughters; the rest are adults and they are married. (BT) See examples
• majorité MO 60 ( n. )
  1. Majority; majorité.
• majèsté No sources ( n. )
  1. (His) Majesty; (Sa) Majesté.
     ♦ So Majesté Roi Carnaval Apé rivé Mardi prochain. His Majesty King Carnaval is arriving next Tuesday. (T33) See examples
• makak gen, MO 60 ( n. )
  1. Monkey; singe.
     Li sanm en makak. Se en vilen monn. He looks like a monkey. He’s an ugly person. (BT) ♦ Ain jour ain bande macacs t apé joué en bas n’abe là-bas dans bois, ensembe. One day a group of monkeys was playing together under a tree down there in the woods. (T25) See examples
  2. Imbecile; imbécile.
     Nòm-sa-la pron nouzòt pou le makak. That man took us for monkeys [i.e. idiots]. (NE) ♦ Cé pa la peine vou joué macak avé nouzòt. Don’t bother playing the imbecile with us. (ME 91) See examples
  3. Clown; clown.
     Jich garde ti boug la-ba ape fe en makak deyòr li-mèm. Just look at that little guy making a clown of himself. (ST) •fe makak v.phr. (PC). To make fun of, make a monkey out of; se moquer de. Li seye fe makak ave mwen. He tries to make fun of me. (PC) See examples
• makakri No sources ( n. )
  1. Monkeyshines, trick; tour, fricotage, espièglerie.
     ♦ Quand gouvemair charret ‘ la proché tout près, li oir vié Bouki qui ta fé so macaqueries pou’ trompé li. When the master of the cart came very near, he saw old Bouki who was playing his tricks to catch him. (FO 1887) See examples
• makakriòsh CA ( n. )
  1. Monkeyshines, trick; tour, fricotage, espièglerie.
     Ouzot ap fe de makakriòch. Arèt sa. Se tro dibri. You’re making monkeyshines. Stop that. It’s too much noise. (CA) See examples
• makaroni PC ( n. ) makaronni PC
  1. Macaroni; macaronis.
     To ka fe en lasoup, met makaronni anndan 1. You can make a soup, put macaroni in it. (PC) See examples
  2. Wood shavings in the shape of macaroni; copeaux qui ont la forme des macaronis.
     Le ale makaroni. It makes macaroni [-shaped wood shavings]. (PC) See examples
• makiyon PC ( n. )
  1. Clothespin; pince à linge.
• makrèz PC ( n. )
  1. Pied-billed grebe, didapper; espèce de grèbe. (Podilymbus podiceps).
• makshou PC, ST ( n. ) machou PC makshoumayi CA
  1. Maquechou, a dish made of young corn cut from the cob and stewed in onions; maquechou, plat de maïs nouveau coupé de l’épi et étouffé dans des oignons.
     M e manje mwen en bon makchou. I'm eating a good maquechou. (PC) ♦ To pa rapel gro makchou-la nou fe onsonm? Don’t you remember the maquechou we made together? (LA) See examples
• mal CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Mail; courrier.
     En boge ave lamal. A buggy with the mail. (PC); Mo Papa charye lamal dan en ti charèt. My father carried the mail in a little cart. (CA) •bwat lamal n.phr. Mailbox; boité aux lettres, cf. bwat •nòm lamal n.phr. Mailman, postman; facteur, cf. nòm See examples
• mal gen ( adj. )
  1. Male; masculin, mâle.
     Mal zwa. Male goose. (BT); Mal denn. Malé turkey. (PC); Mal kana. Malé duck. (PC); Mal mule. Male mule. (PC); Mal bef. Malé cow. (PC); Mal kochon. Malé pig. (PC); Mal chyen. Malé dog. (PC); Mal bourik. Male donkey. (CA) ♦ Mouan ma done vou ein gro mal dame. I’ll give you a big male turkey. (T17) See examples
• mal CA, NE, PC, ST ( adj., adv., v.intr., v.tr. )
  1. Bad; mauvais.
     Kon mo te piti, si nou se fe kekchoj mal ye se konmonse parle pou grigri. When I was a child, if we did something bad they started talking about spells. (PC) ♦ Pove Miché Préval, mo cré li bin mal. Poor Mr. Preval, I think he is very wicked. (T10) •vini pli mal v.phr. To worsen, get worse; empirer. Le e vini pli mal. His condition is getting worse. (PC) 2. Wrong; qui a tort. To mal, to pa ben. You’re wrong, you’re not right. (PC) ♦ Fand’chien ... to té dit sa té mal, pourtant to té besoin volé. Son of a bitch, you said it was wrong and yet you had to go and steal. (T32)Poorly, badly; mal. Mo ja vini dan POINT ichka mo pale ye tou le de mal. Lavyeyès! I’ve arrived at the point where I speak both of them [English and Creole] badly. That’s old age. (PC) ♦ Ah , mo fille, to tombé mal marié. Oh, my daughter, you have married badly. (FO T19) mal 3 n. (gen.). 1. Sore, wound, pain; peine, mal, plaie. ♦ Pou en kou t soley ou nenpòrt ke mal. For a sunstroke or any sickness. (BI) •mal a lèstoma n.phr. (BT); mal lèstoma (CA). Stomachache; mal à l’estomac, mal au ventre. To di a kèkenn mo gen du mal dan monn èstoma. You tell someone, ‘I have a stomachache.’ (BT) ♦ [Pou] di mal a lèstoma, li gen ke pou seye lekòrch frenn. For a stomachache, all he has to do is try ash bark. (BI) •mal blon n.phr. dimal blon (CA). Mouth sore in an infant; inflammation de la bouche des bébés. ♦ Pou lafyèv e en piti ki gen mal blon. For the fever and for a child with sores in the mouth. (BI) •mal de gòrj n.phr. (CA; PC). Sore throat; mal à la gorge. Tan to lagòj e f e to mal, to gen mal de gòrj. When your throat hurts, you have a sore throat. (PC) ♦ Pou mal de gòj bouyi rasin zerons don dolo pi gagalize avek sa trwa jwa pa jou. For a sore throat, boil blackberry roots in water and gargle with that three times a day. (LA) •mal de tet n.phr. (CA; PC); mal deu tèit, mal a tet, mal di te, mal di tet (PC). Headache; mal à la tête. Na dè fwa to wa byen, men sa dòn twa en mal a tet, doulœ dan l zyè. Sometimes you see clearly, but it gives you a headache, pain in the eyes. (PC) ♦ Pou mal de tet pron di swif met sa on le fey refòr e mare tou sa dèryè to latet. For headaches takes some tallow, put it on horseradish leaves and tie that around your head. (LA) •mal o dan n.phr. (CA; PC). Toothache; mal aux dents. Mo te gen mal o dan. Mo labouch te tou gonf I had a toothache. My mouth was all swollen. (CA) ♦ Oh! comme mo gagnin mal aux dents! On! How my teeth ache! (FO T11) •mal o do n.phr. (BT; CA); mal do (CA). Backache; mal au dos. Mo gen mal o do, safe ye pou trète mon pour mon do. I have a backache so they had to treat me for my back. (BT); Mo t ape soufèr avèk lechin dan mo do. Mo te gen mal o do. I was suffering with the spine in my back. I had a backache. (CA) •mal o kèr n.phr. mal o kè (CA). Stomachache; mal au coeur, mal au ventre, mal à l’estomac. ♦ Glase en deze dir e met li si so kou. Sa va pase mal o kèr. Freeze a hard-boiled egg and put it under the patient’s neck. That will make a stomachache go away. (BI) •mal o ren n.phr. (CA; PC). Backache; mal au dos. ♦ Pou de mo d ren, met en bake dolo onmba to lit tou le swar e sa va geri twa. For a lower backache, put a bucket of water under your bed every night and that will cure you. (BI) •mal o vant n.phr. (CA; PC); mal o vont (ST). Stomachache; mal au ventre, mal à l’estomac. Mo gen en mal o vont yèr-o-swar. I had a stomach ache last night. (ST) ♦ Pou mal o vont to fe bouyi le plich pakonn don dolo pi to bwa sa. For a stomachache you boil pecan shells in water and drink that. (LA) •mal o zye n.phr. Sore eyes; mal aux yeux. ♦ Kon to gen mal o zye met flè rozye don en galon dolo epi bat to zye on don la. When your eyes are sore put rosewater in a gallon of water and then flush your eyes with that. (LA) •mal zorey n.phr. (CA; PC). Earache; mal aux oreilles. Si to zorey fe to mal to gen mal zorey. If your ears hurt you have an earache. (PC) ♦ [Pou] mal orey, met en gout fyèl barbi si en bouchon koton e bouch zorey-la avek sa. For an earache, put a drop of catfish bile on a cotton ball and plug your ear with that. (BI) •move mal n.phr. (PC). Syphilis; syphilis, •fe di mal v. (PC); fe mal (CA; NE).To hurt, cause pain, harm; faire mal. To ren fe di mal. Your back hurts. (PC); Li chike taba tou la jounen. Sa fe so machwa mal. He chews tobacco all day long. It hurts his jaw. (CA) ♦ Li te pe pa fe en pa, so pye te fe li si di mal. He couldn’t take a step, his foot hurt him so much. (JR)To hurt, injure; faire mal à, blesser. Chyen-la fe so pat-ye dimal. The dog hurt its paws. (PC); Kofè t ap baskile li. To va fe li mal o to va jte li. Why are you shoving him around? You’re going to hurt him or you’re going to knock him over. (CA) 2. Evil, bad things, harm; mal, tort. Ye pa fe mal, non. They didn’t do any harm. (PC) See examples
• mal CA, NE, PC, ST ( n. )
  1. Male; mâle.
     En kochon se en mal. En momon se en latriy. A hog is a malé, and a sow is a female. (PC) See examples
• mal MO 60, NE ( n. ) lamal CA, PC, ST
  1. Trunk; malle. (PC)
     ♦ Sitôt mo metté mo chapeau mo couri fermé mo la malle. As soon as I put on my hat I went to shut my trunk. (T37) See examples
• malad gen ( adj. )
  1. Sick; malade.
     Kan to malad to pa jenn. If you’re sick, you’re not young. (BT); Safe mo malad. That makes me sick. (CA); To bezwen monje kèkchoj oubyen to va tonbe malad. You have to eat something or else you’ll get sick. (NE) ♦ Melonni vini bokou malad. Li kouche trwa mwa don lit. Melanie became very sick. She stayed in bed for three months. (LA) •dòn malad v.phr. (PC). To make, cause to be sick; rendre malade. Ye dòn moun toujou malad. (Cracklings) always make people sick. (PC) •rès malad v.phr. (CA; PC). To be sickly; être maladif. Piti-la rès malad. That child is sickly. (PC) See examples
• maladi CA, MO 60, NE, PC ( n. )
  1. Illness, sickness; maladie.
     I kònen bliye plen. Doktè di aben se so maladi ki fe sa. He forgets a lot of things. The doctors say that it’s his sickness that causes that. (PC); Kan mo pòrt brasle an kwiv ; sa èd en pe avèk maladi ARTHRITIS . When I wear a copper bracelet, it helps a little with arthritis. (CA) ♦ Li dit c'était pou so fame qui té gagnin ein commencement maladie. He said that it was for his wife who was at the start of an illness. (FO T3) •maladi de fonm n.phr. (PC). Venereal disease; maladie vénérienne. Trape en maladi de fonm. To catch a venereal disease. (PC) ♦ Pou lamaladi defam, pou netwaye matris en fam, vou sèrv medsin Misye Irsen. For a woman’s sickness, to clean out her uterus, you use Mr. Irsen’s medicine. (BI) •movez maladi n.phr. (PC); move maladi (CA). 1) Serious disease; maladie sérieuse. En movez maladi. Sèryeu. A bad disease. Serious. (PC) 2) Syphilis; syphilis. Se en lalyann nwa. To fe dite e blak-djak pou move maladi. It’s a black vine. You make tea with black jack for bad sicknesses (syphilis). (CA) ♦ Pou le movèz maladi, met larasin latànye, lalyann blak-djak e larasin kotonnye rouj onsonm. Bouyi ye byen e bwar sa trwa ti tas par jou. For syphilis put palmetto roots, black jack vines and cottonwood roots together. Boil them well and drink three little cups each day. [ 'pou lé mauvaise maladie '] (BI) See examples
• maladif PC ( adj. )
  1. Sickly; maladif.
     Piti-sa-la maladif. That child is sickly. (PC); La tit fiy-sa-la maladif. The little girl is sickly. (PC) See examples
• malarya CA ( n. ) malèrya CA marèlya PC mérélya PC
  1. Malaria; malaria.
     Ye gen la fyèv malarya e ye mouri. They got malaria and they died. (CA) ♦ [Pou] malaria ou lafyèv tranasont, to pronn di mongilye e pi la to fe en gro pake, bouyi byen jiska li amèr amèr. For malaria or the slow fever, take some marsh elder and make a big bundle. Boil it well until it turns really bitter. (BI) See examples
• malchanse BT ( adj. )
  1. Unlucky, unfortunate; malchanceux.
     Sa fe, li te malchanseu. Tou lez òt trouve le fonm blan, eli inave pa pour li. So, he was unlucky. All of the others took white wives, and there were none left for him. (BT) See examples
• malfézan PC ( n. )
  1. Evildoer; malfaiteur.
     ♦ Compair Bouki qui té traite et malfaisant. Brer Bouki was vicious and an evildoer. (FO T18) See examples
• malgré ST ( conj. )
  1. Although; bien que, quoique.
     ♦ Et vive l'été, mo dit, malgré fait chaud comme djab. Long live summer, I said, although it’s hot as the devil. (T27) See examples
• malin CA, NE, PC, ST ( adj. ) malinn (f) NE
  1. Clever, sly; malin, rusé.
     Lapen te toujou malen. Rabbit was always clever. (PC); Li fe sa èspre. Li malen. He did that on purpose. He’s sly. (CA) ♦ Li té si malin, yé té pélé li Compair Zavoka. He was so clever, they called him Brer Lawyer. (T5) See examples
• malin CA ( n. )
  1. Rascal; canaille, scélérat.
     Li konen koman pou gen sa li ole, sa se en malen. He knows how to get what he wants. He’s a rascal. (CA) See examples
• malinn NE ( n. )
  1. Girlfriend; copine, petite amie.
     Vyeu Djab trape sa malin, li trape sa malin onba so bra, li leve le laba onlèr. Old Devil grabbed his girlfriend under her arms and lifted her up. (NE) See examples
• malinpasyon BT ( adj. )
  1. In a bad mood, angry; de mauvaise humeur, en colère.
     T e malenpasyon. Ye dmande twa konmon te e pi ti toun e pi ti fe de kri apre mwa. You’re in a bad mood. I asked you how you were and then you turned and yelled at me. (BT) See examples
• malis BT ( n. )
  1. Practical joke, dirty trick; farce, mauvais tour, malice.
     I prann ton chapo me i pa gade; i jich ape jwe enn malis disu twa. He took your hat but he won’t keep it, he’s just playing a trick on you. (BT) See examples
  2. Intelligence, slyness; intelligence, ruse.
     ♦ Li te pli malen ke tou lòt betay-ye e se so malis ki tchenn li vivan. He was more clever than all the other animals, and it was his slyness that kept him alive. (JR) See examples
• malisye No sources ( adj. )
  1. Malicious, mean; malicieux, méchant. "
     O! » li dit, «c’est bligé d’être quelque chose de malicieux que Bouki rangé moi.» «Oh!» he said, «this must be some malicious thing that Bouki has prepared for me.» (AN T3) See examples
• malomé No sources ( n. )
  1. A kind of plant; espèce de plante.
     ♦ [Pou] lafyèv, nouzòt sèr lamalome rouj. Nou bouy sa e nou pronn sa trwa jwa par jou. For the fever, we use red [malome]. We boil it and drink it three times a day. (BI) See examples
• malshans MO 60 ( n. )
  1. Bad luck; malchance, guigne, poisse.
• malè PC ( n. )
  1. Misfortune, unhappiness; malheur.
     ♦ Ye te pa gen rete la lontan pas ke ye te gen pou wa enn òt malè tout swit. They wouldn’t be there long because they would soon see another misfortune. (JR) See examples
• malènng ST ( n. )
  1. Sore, cut; plaie, coupure.
     To mete en bando an en malenng pou proteje li. You put a bandage on a sore to protect it. (ST) See examples
• malédiksyon No sources ( n. )
  1. Curse; malédiction.
     ♦O wi, mape soufri boukou, vou wa se Konpè Lapen ki pwazonnen mwen e pi li voye so malediksyon on o mwen. Oh yes, I’m suffering a lot, you see it’s Brer Rabbit who poisoned me and who put a curse on me. (BO) See examples
• malégonn CA ( n. )
  1. Mulligan’s stew; sorte de ragoût.
• malérèzmon NE ( adv. )
  1. Unfortunately; malheureusement.
     ♦ Malerezman, Lapen di, Nou diven tou pèrd. ‘Unfortunately,' said Rabbit, ‘all of our wine is gone (lost)' (JR) See examples
• maléré CA, PC ( adj. ) malorè PC maléré (m.) NE malérèz (f) NE malére CA
  1. Unhappy, poor, misfortunate; malheureux, pauvre.
     Malere kreyòl, malere kreyòl. Poor Creole, poor Creole. (PC); Tou so famiy mouri. Sa fe li malere. His whole family died. That’s why he’s unhappy. (CA) ♦ Tout chien yé té trouvé yé sort té malheureux. All of the dogs found that their lot was unhappy. (FO T15) See examples
  2. Unfortunate; malheureux.
     Se malere pou sèvre en vye vo. It is unfortunate to wean an old calf. (PC); To malere. To pa gen aryen. You’re unfortunate. You’ve got nothing. (CA) See examples
• mamou No sources ( n. )
  1. Coral tree; espèce d’arbrisseau. (Erythrina herbacea).
     ♦ [Pou] fliksyon pwatrin, to pronn lagrenn mamou e fe en di te avek li pou pèrsonn-la bwa. For pneumonia, you take some coral tree seeds and make a tea that the sick person will drink. (BI) See examples
• mamzèl ST ( n. ) manzèl CA mòmzèyl PC mamzèil PC mamzél PC mamzèél PC monmzèl PC
  1. Girl, lady; jeune fille, mademoiselle.
     Li marje ave en mòmzèyl soti a Mobil. He married a woman who came from Mobile. (PC) ♦ Li ranzé tou zafair pou fé ein gro bamboula dan mizon Mamzel là. He got everything ready to have a big party in Mademoiselle’s house. (T3) See examples
  2. Miss; mademoiselle.
     ♦ Bo matin mo allé porté manzé Blanche so café. Early this morning I was going to take Miss Blanche her coffee. (TM) See examples
  3. Dragonfly; libellule. (PC)
• mandyan No sources ( n. )
  1. Beggar; mendiant.
     ♦ T’a galpé côté volè-yé, t’a jappé côté mendiants-yé, t’a flatter tout moune. You will run to the thieves’ houses, you will bark at the beggars’ houses, you will flatter everyone. (BD) See examples