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

• mo CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Word; mot.
     Ye ye pel sa isit ye-tchenn patwa. To ja tàn mo-sa-la? They call it their ‘patois’. Have you ever heard that word? (PC); Ena en mo pou sa me mo rapèl pa. There is a word for that but I don’t remember. (CA) ♦ Manga té si pair qué li sré pas dit ein mot méme si yé té taillé li tout la journin. Manga was so scared that she would not say a word even if they beat her all day long. (FO T20) See examples
• mo-kèn NE, PC ( pron., adj., det.poss. ) mo-chèn PC mo-tyèn PC mo-kin CA, PC mo-kènn CA, PC ma NE mo NE méchin NE mo-kinñ MO 60
  1. Mine; le mien, la mienne, etc.
     Mo-kenn kouri laba-la pou èt ave so-kenn . Mine [i.e. my mother] went down there to be with hers. (PC) ♦ Chak chandèl represan lavi enn pèrsòn, e motchenn ben kour. Each candle represents someone’s life, and mine is really short. (JR)My, my own; mon, ma, mes (propre(s)). Ka mo va travay se kòm si m e bout andan mo-kèn lamezon. When I go to work it’s just like I’m arriving at my own home. (PC); Se pa mo-ken lafot. Mo pa kase lalanp-la. It’s not my fault. I didn’t break the lamp. (CA) ♦ Mo-kenn piti-ye. My own children. (JR) See examples
• mo-mèm CA, NE ( pron., pron.refl. ) mo-min MO 60
  1. Myself; moi-même.
     Mo peye mo bag e tou kèk-chòj mo-mèm. I paid for my ring and all myself. (NE)Myself; moi-même. Mo pa kone komon èsplike mo-mèm. I don’t know how to explain myself. (NE); Mo te las jòrdi-la e mo ale lanje mo-mèm en peu. I was tired today and I went to lie down a bit. (CA) ♦ Faut mo régalé mo méme, mapé couri rempli mo bérier avec mo bon dibère. I have to treat myself, I’m going to fill my butter dish with my good butter. (FO T13) See examples
• mobilyin No sources ( n., n.phr. ) toti mobilyin No sources
  1. Jumping turtle; espèce de tortue, cf. tortu
• modi No sources ( adj. )
  1. Damned; maudit, Sacré.
     ♦ Mo tret lamòrdir sèrpon avek de priyèr. Mo di modi sèrpon, e mo defon li grouye jiska pèrsonn-la sa byen. I treat snakebites with prayer. I say ‘damned snake’, and I forbid it to move until the person is better. (BI) See examples
• modis BT, CA, PC ( n. ) motis BT
  1. Seamstress; modiste, couturière.
     Se en bon modis. Li konen koud byen. She’s a good seamstress. She knows how to sew well. (CA) See examples
• mokèr CA ( n. ) mokè PC
  1. Mockingbird; moqueur.
     Kèkfwa a onz-èr mokèr-ye ap imite tou lez-ot zozo. Sometimes at 11:00, the mockingbirds are imitating all the other birds. (CA) ♦ Einfois Moquère et pi Hibou tapé fait l'amour méme Mamzelle Moquère. One time the Mockingbird and the Owl were both wooing the same Miss Mockingbird. (FO T14) •mokèr dukann n.phr. (CA); mokè dikann (CA). Cane mockingbird, brown thrasher; oiseau de canne, moqueur de bois, de canne. Ye rès pa jus dan lakann. La ou ena dibwa to trouv mokèr dukann. They don’t live just in the cane. You find cane mockingbirds wherever there are trees. (CA) See examples
• moké No sources ( v.tr. )
  1. To make fun of; se moquer de.
     ♦ Li commencé ri et moqué et moqué tou ça li té oua. She began to laugh and to make fun of everything she saw. (T30) See examples
• mol CA, PC ( v.tr. )
  1. To bank up, rebank, place soil around the base of (plants); rechausser, butter (des plantes).
     M ape ale mol mo dibwa. To gen pou mol li avèk latèr pou pa li kilbite. I’m banking up my tree. You have to bank it up with dirt so it doesn’t keel over. (CA) See examples
• mol No sources ( n. )
  1. Sledgehammer; masse, •mol kas-tèt
     n.phr. Sledgehammer; masse. En mol kas-tèt. Anlèr se en marto, anba se en kas-tèt e a kote ena en ti kroch e la to kapab rache en deklou avèk sa. A sledgehammer. On top it’s a hammer, on the bottom it’s a hatchet, and on the side there’s a little hook you can pull nails out with. (CA) See examples
• molton PC ( n. ) mòlton CA
  1. Flannel; flannel, molleton.
     Li sèrvi en mòlton pou double so lajip. She used heavy cotton flannel to line her skirt. (CA); Mo sèr dra molton dan livèr. Se pli cho ke dra koton . I use flannel sheets in the winter. They’re warmer than cotton sheets. (CA) See examples
• molé No sources ( v.tr. )
  1. To soften; amollir.
     ♦ Mole en deze e met li cho si mòrdir-la. Sa va ale pwazon-la kion don-la. Soft-boil an egg and put it, while hot, on the snakebite. That will draw out the poison. (BI) •dezeu mole n.phr. Soft-boiled egg; oeuf mollet, oeuf à la coque, cf. dezœf See examples
• moman CA, PC ( n. ) manman PC monman PC momon PC, MO 60, NE monmon MO 60
  1. Mother; maman, mère.
     Mo moman, popa, tou te rete la-isit, se sa ki fe mo isi. My mother and my father, all of them lived here, that’s why I’m here. (PC); Mouton-la ap bele. Li pa konen trouve so moman. The sheep is bleating. It can’t find its mother. (CA) ♦ Quand li révini chez li, li conté so moman ça li té oua. When he came back home, he told his mother what he had seen. (BD) •moman tete n.phr. (CA). Nursemaid; nourrice. ♦ Fille la bo so moman tété et li prend so chimin pou couri. The girl kissed her nursemaid and she went on her way. (FO T16) See examples
  2. Grandmother; grand-mère.
     Mo toujour gen le COOKIES kon mo kouri wa momon. I always get cookies when I go see my grandmother. (NE) •vye mòm n.phr. (NE); vyeu manman (PC). Grandmother; grand-mère. See examples
  3. Female; femelle.
     En kochon se en mal. En momon se en latriy. A boar is a male. A female is called a sow. (BT) •momon poul n.phr. (PC). Hen; poule. S i ponn nef-la, se en momon poul, e si le pa ponn, se en poule. If it lays eggs it’s a hen, and if it doesn’t lay it’s a chicken. (PC) ♦ Mem Brada la ki té pran mo ti kok singa et mo gro moman mèr poul et ki té apé mèné yé kouri. The same brother who took my speckled gray rooster and my big mother hen and who led them out for a walk. (T14) See examples
  4. Seed cane, plant cane which is buried in the furrow, and from which the new plants grow; canne de semence, canne qui est enterrée dans le sillon, et à partir de laquelle poussent les nouveaux bourgeons.
     Se vye dekann-la ki te la. Li le e pele manman. It’s the old cane that was buried there. He calls it the mama. (PC) See examples
  5. Missy, young lady; jeune fille.
     Mo gen kètchòz sère pou twa , monmon! I have something put away for you, Missy! (BT) See examples
• mon gen ( pron. ) mo gen, MO 60 m PC, NE man CA mwa CA, MO 60, PC mwin CA, MO 60
  1. subj. I; je, moi.
     M a peètèt achte li fwa-sa-l mè, mo pe e kouri la ankò. Perhaps I will buy it this time, but I will never go there again. (PC); Mo toujour akle lapòrt avan mon gonn kouche. I always lock the door before I go to bed. (ST); Du moman mo va fini, mo va èt avèk twa. As soon as I’m finished, I’ll be with you. (CA) • Mo cré ta bate Compair Chivreil, si to fé mékié ma di toi. I think you will beat Brer Deer, if you do the trick that I will tell you. (T5) 2. obj. Me; me. Ye pran mon dan lopital. They took me to the hospital. (PC); To gen en toupe pou vini mande man sa. You’ve got a nerve coming to ask me that. (CA) ♦ Vou té pas doi donne mouen vou denne chow age. You shouldn’t have given me your wild turkey. (T6) See examples
• mon CA, NE, PC ( det.poss. ) mo gen, MO 60 ma (f.) BT, NE, PC mé (pl) BT, CA, PC méz (pl.) CA, MO 60
  1. My; mon, ma, mes.
     Mwa e mon frè. My brother and 1. (PC); Se prèmyè kouzin avek ma mèr. She is my mother’s first cousin. (PC); Ma mezon pli joli ke to-kèn. My house is prettier than yours. (NE); Kan laplu tonm mo fenm me chasi. When it rains I close my windows. (PC); Me chveu te ape grizonne. My hair was turning gray. (BT); Mari, se mo meyœr zami. Marie is my best friend. (ST); Mo lèstoma fe mo mal. My stomach hurts. (CA) REM: NE 1985: 126 notes that non-nasalized variants are more common than nasalized. The feminine variant ma is attested but is rare among basilectal speakers at PC. Plural variants me, mè are also found at PC beside the pattern mo... -ye. • Lese mwen vini limen mo pip kote di fe-la. Let me come and light my pipe at the fire. (JR) See examples
• mongilié No sources ( n. )
  1. Marsh elder or mule fat; manglier. (Baccharis halimifolia).
     •Kon keken gen lafyev donn li di te fe avek mongilie. When someone has the fever, give him a tea made from marsh elder. [‘ menguilié' ](BI) See examples
• monman CA ( n. ) moman CA, PC momon NE moman PC manman PC
  1. Moment; moment.
     Mo pa pare aprezan. To sa gen p atan en monman. I’m not ready now. You’ll have to wait a moment. (CA) •en ti momon n.phr. (NE). A little while, a moment; un moment, un bout de temps. Nou te gen p depeche fini dinè e kouri bèk don klo en ti momon. We had to hurry up and finish lunch and go back into the field for a little while. (NE) •Leste comme ein cureuil dans ein ti moment li té dans la téte nabe la. Nimble as a squirrel, in a moment he was in the top of the tree. (FO T2) •a tou manman adv.phr. (PC); a tou moman, a tou moman (PC); a tou momon (NE). All the time, constantly; constamment, à tout moment. ♦ A tou manman li se di a so vyey fanm, kofè Bon Dje prann pa mwen? He was always saying to his wife, ‘Why doesn’t God take me?’ (JR) • di monmon ke conj. dzi momon (BT); du moman (CA). As soon as; du moment que. Du moman mo va fini mo va èt avèk twa. As soon as I’m finished, I’ll be with you. (CA) ♦ Di li voye so do son isi. E di monmon ke mo me lamen si li, di son-la va arete. Tell the sick person to send his blood here. And as soon as I put my hand on it, the blood flow will stop. (BI) See examples
• monn CA, PC ( n. ) moun gen, MO 60 mon MO 60, PC mòn MO 60, PC dimoun (sg.) NE (lé)moun (pl.) NE dimoun PC
  1. People; gens.
     Ena byen peu du monn ki kapab karkule myeu kè mon. There are very few people who can calculate better than I can. (PC) ; Chyen-la te anraje. Ye te gen pou mèt en mizo an so ladjèl pou peche li mòrd moun. The dog was rabid. They had to put a muzzle on his mouth to keep him from biting people. (CA); En ta moun mouri isi lanne-si-la. A lot of people died here this year. (ST); Le vye moun parl en ta kreòl. Old folks speak Creole a lot. (NE) ♦ Apprende pas fié moune to pas connin. Learn not to trust people you don’t know. (FO T10) • gran moun n.phr. (CA; PC; ST); gron-moun (NE; ST). 1) Old people; les vieilles gens. (NE) 2) Grandparents; grands-parents. (NE) 3) Famous person; personne célèbre. O sète en gran moun. Oh he was famous. (PC) 4) Adult; adulte. (CA; ST) •gro-moun n.phr. (PC). Rich people; gens riches. Jich gro-moun ki gen trèkta-la avek tou kichoj. It’s just rich people who have tractors and everything. (PC) •le moun nwa (PC). Black people; les Noirs. E ao to wa le moun nwa, de kreyòl, se kreyòl. And where you see black folks, Creoles, they speak Creole. (PC) •moun lòt kote n.phr. (PC). Strangers, foreigners; étrangers. Nou dòn tou no larjan a moun lòt kote-ye, mo pans. We gave all our money to people in other countries, I think. (PC) •moun d koulèr n.phr. (NE); moun koulè (PC). Colored people, Black people; gens de couleur, Noirs. HUEY P. LONG t ole ede le moun koulèr. Huey P. Long wanted to help black people. (NE) •moun lwil n.phr. (NE). Oil men; pétroliers. Ina tro le Tèksyen ondon la Louzyòn, se le moun lwil. There are too many Texans in Louisiana, they are oil people. (NE) •pa gran moun n.phr. (BT). Not too many people, few people; peu de gens. Me ya pa gran moun ki te chache de kokodri. There aren’t a lot of people who went alligator hunting. (BT) • ti moun n.phr. Children; enfants. Ti moun-ye jou pa lamaran kòm kan nouzòt te piti. Children today don’t play ring-around-the-rosie like we used to when we were little. (CA) ♦ Hey, no zamis! fait chaud et tout moune allé soué, et c'est jiss en bas n’arbe qué ti moune capab joué. Hey friends! It’s hot and everyone is sweating, and only under the trees can children play. (T27) •tou moun n.phr. (PC); ti dimoun, tou le moun, tou kekèn (NE); toul mòn (MO 60). Everyone; tout le monde. Se pa tou moun ki ka apronn mèm zafè. Not everyone can learn the same thing. (PC) ♦ Landimin, apé lamesse, tou moune ki gagné la plime rassemblé dan gran diboi. The next day after mass, everyone with feathers gathered in the big tree. (T8) See examples
  2. Individual, person, someone; une personne, quelqu’un.
     Astèr se byen rar vou va trouve en moun don Pon Bro ki parl juch kreol. Nowadays it’s really rare to find someone in Breaux Bridge who speaks only Creole. (NE); Chak moun. Each person. (PC) See examples
  3. World; monde.
     To fe myè pou wa to momon piti. Se pou to momon gen twa dan monn. You really should go see your mother, child. It’s thanks to your mother that you’re in the world. (PC) ♦ To oua, dit Bouki, c'est dé plis gros bétes qué yé na dans moune et c'est yé qui plis fort que les otes zanimaux. You see, said Bouki, those are the two biggest animals that there are in the world, and they are stronger than the other animals. (FO T1) •mennen dan moun v.phr. To bring into the world; amener dans le monde. cf. mène See examples
  4. Family, kin; famille, parenté.
     Tou mo moun-ye ne isit, mo popa, mo mama. All of my family was bom here, my father, my mother. (PC) See examples
• mont PC ( n. ) lamant CA, PC, ST lamont CA, PC mant PC lamon PC
  1. Watch; montre.
     Mo gen a lamont en lòr. I have a gold watch. (PC); Li t ap ale magazen e li di lese garde wa k lèr ke li gen an so lamant. He was going to the store and he said, ‘Let’s look to see what time he’s got on his watch.’ (CA) ♦ Et «zing" lapin parti, mais li parti trop tard, et dans la monte Torti, Lapin té en rétard. And zing! Rabbit left, but he left too late, and in Tortoise’e watch he was late. (T26) See examples
• montañ No sources ( n. )
  1. Mountain; montagne.
     ♦ Yé cherché partout, dan la plaine, dan boi, en ho montagne. They looked everywhere: in the prairie, in the woods, on the mountain. (FO 1887) See examples
• montré CA, MO 60, NE, PC, ST ( v.tr. ) monté BT mantré PC, ST matré PC mont CA, NE monchré PC, NE
  1. To teach; enseigner.
     Ye te gen en pe moun te ka lir ave ekri, è, ye te gen en vyè fanm te kònen mantre ye. There were a few people who could read and write, and there was an old woman who taught them. (PC); En tay o ti pa bizwenn monte jape. A hounddog, you don’t have to train him to bark. (BT); Nou gen en metrès-d-ekol ki montre piti ye lèson byen. We have a teacher who teaches children their lessons well. (ST) ♦ Mo bliye mande vye nonm-la pou montre mwen so langajœ. I forgot to ask the old man to teach me his language. (JR) •montre lekòl v.phr. (PC). To teach (at) school; enseigner à l’école. Mo NURSE ye, ka ye momon te en montre lekòl. I babysat them while their mother was away teaching school. (PC) See examples
  2. To show; montrer.
     Piti-ye mènè sa dèvan an ye lamanych lapyòch, pou montre nouzòt gro sèrpon-on ye te tchwe. The kids brought it forward on the handle of their hoe, to show us the big snake they had killed. (PC) ♦ Li raconté so lhistoire, et chassère yé mandé li montré yé ou tigue la té. He told his story, and the hunters asked him to show them where the tiger was. (FO T12) •genn mont v.phr. (BT). To have the habit of; avoir l'habitude de. Ye te genn mont kache kon kekenn te konye a lapòt. They had a habit of hiding when someone knocked at the door. (BT) See examples
• monté CA, MO 60, NE, PC ( v., v.tr., v.intr. ) manté PC mont BT
  1. To mount, ride (a horse); monter (à cheval).
     Mo abitud monte le chvo d sèl, me mo mo toujour ete tro gro pou mont on le kourèr. I used to ride saddle horses, but I’ve always been too big to ride a racehorse. (BT); Li mèt so levit parskè li t ape ale monte so chval. He put on his frock coat because he was going to ride his horse. (CA) ♦ Mo monte mo choual plis fou qué li. I ride my horse more crazily than he does. (BD) REM: In CA, monte en chval means «to mount a horse» and RIDE en chval «To ride a horse.» (CA) 2. To build; monter, bâtir. Ye monte en tit-ekol drwat-la-la, apepre èn mil e dmi d isi. They built a little school right there, about a mile and a half from here. (NE) 3. To go up; monter. Li monte lèskalye kouri UPSTAIR[S]. He would take the stairs to get up there. (PC) ♦ Le soir, las dé rodailler, mo prand ein tiquette au théâte; là, mo monter au poulailler ou mo trouvé ein vié milate. In the evening, tired of gallivanting, I bought a ticket to the theater, and I went up to the henhouse where I found an old mulatto man. (T38) 4. To mount, copulate with; monter, copuler avec. L a monte li, e koke li. He [the horse] will mount her and mate with her.1. To climb, get (up) on; monter sur, dans. Ye monte onho èn don LOG-ye. They got on one of the logs. (NE); Mo monte dan dibwa mo ramase-ye. I climb into the tree to pick them [i.e. pecans]. (PC) ♦ Katafo wa ke li se trape ye tout swit, safe ye monte dan en bwa. Catafo saw that he would catch them very soon, so they climbed a tree. (JR) 2. To get in, climb in; monter dans. Ye monte don le ti pirog, ye pron le bayou. They got into the little pirogues, and they took the bayous. (NE); Mo anbarke kan m ape monte andan tomobil. I board when I’m getting in the car. (CA) 3. To walk up on, approach; s’approcher de. ♦ En Anmeriken te ape biche di bwa en jou. Li te jis jete en gro dibwa kan sis sovajœ monte on li. An American was cutting wood one day. He had just thrown a big log when six Indians walked up on him. (JR) 4. To rise; monter. Tou zafè ki mante, pri-la, ann trèkta-ye. All of the prices are going up, like the price of tractors. (PC) ♦ Li fé ein gran chalan où ké li rantré kan dolo monté. He made a rowboat that he got into when the water rose. (T13) See examples
• monyé No sources ( v.tr., v.phr. ) monyé latèt BT
  1. To worry someone; tracasser, inquiéter.
     Mon te gen tro pour fe avèk lendukasyon mon te gen, si t ape monye latèt. I had too much to do, with what little education I had had; it was worrying me. (BT) See examples
• moralité PC ( n. )
  1. Morality; moralité.
     Mo te konnen bwa lonton pase, mè la moralite... I used to drink a long time ago, but morality... (PC) See examples
• mori No sources ( n. )
  1. Cod; morue, •lwil fwa-d-mori
     n.phr. Cod liver oil; huile de foie de morue, cf. lwil See examples
• moriko No sources ( n. )
  1. Negro, black person; Noir, nègre, moricaud.
     ♦ Mé toi to toujou même moricand. Aie Toucoutou—mo connin vou, vou cé ain morico. But you still look like the same old nigga! Aie Toucoutou—I know you, you are a black woman. (WO) See examples
• moriv No sources ( adv. )
  1. Dead drunk; mort-ivre.
     ♦Sa toumen ye latet e ye bwa plis onkò jiska ye te sou moriv. That made their heads spin, and they kept drinking until they were dead drunk. (JR) See examples
• morso gen, MO 60 ( n. ) moso CA, PC mòso CA, PC
  1. Piece; morceau.
     Pontul, sète en morso fèr ke ti me ont deu morso bwò. A hinge was a piece of iron that you put between two pieces of wood. (BT); En moso lapo. A piece of skin. (PC); Mo koup mo janmbon par moso e mo mèt li dan mo bin pou sizonen yen. I cut my meat and I put it in my beans to season them. (CA) ♦ M’a coupé yé dans tits moceaux. Cut them in little pieces. (BD) •bon mòso n.phr. (PC). A lot, a good bit; beaucoup, grand morceau. Mo apròn n bon mòso. I’ve learned quite a lot. (PC) •morso d tèr n.phr. (NE); morso la tèr (CA; ST). Plot of ground; lopin de terre. E la si mo se gen en ti morso d tèr ke mo popa te kite mon. And if I had a little plot of ground that my dad had left me. (NE) See examples
  2. Story; conte, histoire.
     Mo kònè bon mòso. Mo parla ave vye boug-ye lantan pase. I know some good stories. I used to talk with the old timers long ago. (PC) See examples
• mortyé No sources ( n. ) morchyé CA, PC
  1. Mortar; mortier.
     Mo gen fe mortchye pou li mèt an labrik-la pou labrik-la rete an-o lè. I had to make mortar for him to put on the bricks so the bricks would stay up. (PC) See examples
• morèt No sources ( n., n.phr. ) dibwa morèt No sources
  1. Prickly ash, toothache tree; frêne piquant.
     (Zanthoxylon clova ). Pas pa anba dibwa morèt. To va trape en pikan. Don’t go under the prickly ash tree. You’ll get thorns. (CA) See examples
• morél No sources ( n. )
  1. Morel; morille.
     ♦ To fe en di te avek lamorel, la to ajout di swif mouton. You make a tea with morels, and then you add sheep fat. (BI) See examples
• mot PC ( n. ) mòrt CA mòrtyé CA
  1. Clod, lump; motte.
     Kan no te raboure, i rèste de mot. When we used to plow, clumps would remain. (BT); En mot latè. A clod of dirt. (PC) ♦ Li mete li don en trou ki te bouche avèk en mot latèr. He put it in a hole which he plugged with a clump of dirt. (TP) See examples
• mou CA, PC ( adj. )
  1. Soft; mou.
     Touche letòf-sa-la. Wa koman mou li ye. Feel this cloth, see how soft it is. (PC) ♦ Tits zerb ‘ to verts, tits zerb’ to mou , faut plis to fait ein lite pou’ nou. Little grass, you are green, little grass, you are soft, you must no longer make a bed for us. (BD) •dezèf mou n.phr. Soft-boiled egg; oeuf mollet, cf. dezœf See examples
  2. Limp, flaccid; mou.
     Li si jèn. Li pa konnen tchanmbon. Li mou. He’s so young. He can’t hold himself up. He’s limp. (CA) See examples
• moul MO 60 ( n. )
  1. Mould; moule.
• moulin CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Mill; moulin.
     Fe lalezan se koupe dikann-le. Y a voye li kote moulen-la. Doing the sugar harvest is cutting the cane. Then they send it to the mill. (PC) ♦ Moulin apé touffé à force yen an di canes, ya pé tombé comme quand di vent jété pacanes. The mill is getting clogged, so much cane is there, it is falling as when the wind knocks out pecans. (T27) •moulen a gru n.phr. (PC). Gristmill; moulin à grain. ♦ Ye nave madam ki te gen en bèl baskour ki te kote moulen a gri. There was a woman who had a beautiful barnyard next to a gristmill. (TP) •moulen a koton n.phr. (PC); moulen koton (PC). Cotton gin, mill; moulin à coton. Enave en moulen a koton a kote-la. There was a cotton mill nearby. (PC) •moulen a si n.phr. (PC). Sawmill; scierie, moulin à scie. Te gen moulen a si. He had a sawmill. (PC) •moulen mayi n.phr. (CA); moulen mai (PC). Corn mill; moulin à maïs. Moulen mai-la se en zafè èspre pou fé digri. The corn mill is a thing that serves specifically to make grits. (PC) See examples
  2. Grinder (for meat, coffee, etc.); moulin (a cafe, etc.).
     Sa se leu moulen. Se sa nou mou lavyonn pour fe lavyonn moudi. That is the grinder, that’s what we used to make ground beef. (BT) •moulen digri n.phr. (PC). Grinder for making grits; moulin qui sert à moudre le gmau. En moulen digri? En moulen pou fe digri e farin mayi? A grits mill? A mill for making grits and corn meal? (PC) •moulen kafe n.phr. (PC). Coffee mill, grinder; moulin à café. Li toumen lamonch-la an moulen kafe-la. She turned the handle of the coffee grinder. (PC) See examples
• moulinèz No sources ( n. ) moulœz NE moulinœz NE moulinin CA
  1. Grinder; moulinette.
     Ina zon dimoun ki va moud ye [gonbo vèr] avèk èn moulinœz kom-sa. There are some people who grind their okra in a little mill like this one. (NE); En moulinen , li moul mayi pou fe digri e lafarin mayi. A mill grinds corn to make grits and commeal. (CA) See examples
• mouliné BT ( n. ) moulinn BT
  1. Walking cultivator; cultivateur à roues.
     Enn mouline va travaye le deu bòr ta rekòl , e i va lèse jus ta rekòl, i va grate sa, A walking cultivator will work both sides of your row, it will just leave your crop. It just scratches over that. (BT) See examples
• moulé CA, PC ( v.tr. ) moulè PC moul PC moud NE mou BT
  1. To grind; écraser, broyer, moudre.
     Apre ye moule dekann-ye, sa sòr duju-la, la duju va den en lòt plas pou fe siro-la . After they grind the cane the juice is extracted, and then the juice goes somewhere else to make syrup. (PC); Sa se leu moulen. Se sa nou mou lavyonn pour fe lavyonn moudi. De fwa ina de kreyòl ki va di mo achte mo lavyonn moule, me mo monmon toujour di lavyonn moudi. That is the grinder, that’s what we used to make ground beef. Sometimes there are Creoles who say the meat is [moule], but I always say it’s [moudi]. (BT); En fourno, se pou moule dikann dan laskleri. A furnace is for grinding cane in a sugar factory. (CA) •lavyonn moudi n.phr. Ground beef; viande hachée. cf. vyann See examples
• mouri CA, PC ( adj. )
  1. Dead; mort.
     Mo te gen onz frèr e sœr. Ye tou mouri. I used to have eleven brothers and sisters. They are all dead. (CA) ♦ Kon Lapen wa Lous-la, li kouche pou fe konm si li te mouri. When Rabbit saw the bear he lay down to act as if he were dead. (LA) See examples
  2. Numb; engourdi.
     Le e mouri. It is numb. (PC) See examples
• mouri CA, MO 60, NE, PC, ST ( v.intr. ) mourir PC
  1. To die; mourir.
     Mo rete e ye ouchka ye mouri. I lived with them until they died. (CA); Ye gen la fyèv malarya e ye mouri. They got malaria and they died. (CA); ♦ Mo ole mouri si tèlman mo pe pis viv. I want to die so much that I can no longer live. ‘ (JR) Conjug: mouran adj. Dying; mourant, qui se meurt. ♦ Mo pas l'ainmain ouar moun mourant, sirtout quand yé mouri en jiste. I don’t like seeing people die, especially when they die righteous. (T37) See examples
• mouri-nésan BT, CA ( n. )
  1. Baby who dies immediately following birth; enfant qui meurt directement après sa naissance.
     Ina zan ki vi en ti bou d tan apre li ne, sa se mouri-nesan. There are some who live a short time after they are bom, that is what [mouri-nesan] means. (BT) See examples
• mous MO 60, NE ( n. ) lamous CA, PC, ST
  1. Spanish moss; mousse espagnole.
     (Tillandsia usneoides). Li sòrti dan mbwa avek en sak lamous on so latet. She came out of the woods with a bag of Spanish moss on her head. (PC) ♦ Li prend la mousse et des briques et bouché trou la. He took moss and some bricks and plugged the hole. (FO T6) See examples
• moush MO 60, NE ( n. ) démoush CA, PC, ST
  1. Fly; mouche.
     En mouch se zafèr pli zirab ye gen. A fly is the most awful thing there is. (NE); En ti bònòm godron , se pou trape demouch. A tar baby, is for catching flies. (CA) ♦ Li ta pé sauté com chevreuil , qué mouches piqué en Septembre. He was jumping around like a deer that flies bit in September. (T39) •demouch chwal n.phr. (PC); demouch chval (PC). Horsefly; taon. Apre anmbete chval-la. Demouch chwal. It’s always bothering horses. (A) horsefly. (PC) •mouch a fe n.phr. (CA; PC); demouch an fe, mouch dife (PC). Firefly; luciole. Apre soley kouche, sa te fe nwar e mouch-a-fe-ye komanse soti. Ye te limen. After the sun set it was dark and the fireflies began to come out. They were lighting up. (CA) ♦ Enn ave en mouch a fe dan kabann-la, e li te ape vole alantou. There was a firefly in the cabin, and it was flying all around. (JR) •demouch a vèr n.phr. (CA). Green fly; mouche verte. Kan ena la charongn, ena en ta de gro demouch a vèr. When there is carrion, there are lots of big green flies. (CA) See examples
  2. Honeybee; abeille.
     Deniche demouch, fe dimyèl. Remove the bees to make honey. (PC) •mouch-a-myèl n.phr. (NE; CA); mouch-a-myel (PC); demouch a myèyl, demouch dimyel (PC). Honeybee; abeille. Li gen en anflir an so pye. En mouch-a-myèl pike li. He’s got a swelling on his foot. A honeybee stung him. (CA) ♦ Kon mouch a myel ye te vini sise plakmin ye, konpè lous de djete ou ye te kouri. When the honeybees came to suck on the persimmons, Brer Bear watched where they went. (DU) See examples
  3. Fly larvae; larve de mouches.
     ♦ [Pou] panari, to me lemouch (en lagres) si la ou sa fe mal. kont li vyen rouj to retir lemouch. For whitlow, you put maggots (and grease) on the spot where it hurts. When it turns red you remove the maggots. [démouche’] (BI) See examples
• moushwa PC ( n. )
  1. Handkerchief; mouchoir.
     Mouche dan vou mouchwa. Blow your nose in your handkerchief. (PC) ♦ Ki sa so mouchwa tonbe li paka ramase li. Repons: en nab lamous. What is it that when it drops its handkerchief it cannot pick it up? Answer: A moss tree. (DU) •mouchwa dèryè do n.phr. (PC). Children’s game; jeu d’enfants. See examples
• moushé CA, PC ( v.tr. )
  1. To blow one’s nose; se moucher.
     Mo ne ape koule. Mo gen pou mouche mo ne. My nose is running. I’ve got to blow my nose. (CA) See examples
• mouskét CA, PC, ST ( n. )
  1. Musket; mousquet.
     Ye te gen de mousket, tou kalite machin. They had muskets and all kinds of machines. (PC) See examples
• mouslinn No sources ( n. )
  1. Muslin; mousseline.
     ♦ Li té gagnin ein robe la mousseline blanc com la neige. She had a muslin dress as white as snow. (FO 1887) See examples
• moustash BT, PC ( n. ) lamoustash CA, PC, ST lé moustash PC
  1. Mustache; moustache.
     Se so labib, konm en nonm gen en moustach. Sa sanm en ti file. Those are his whiskers, just like a man has a mustache. It looks like a little net. (PC) ♦ Compair Tigue té faro com ein pan et té apéfrizé so moustace. Brer Tiger was as dressed up as a peacock and was curling his mustache. (T8) See examples
  2. Beard; barbe.
     Li gen enn grann moustach. He has a long beard. (PC); Li genn moustach k ap konmons e pouse. His beard is starting to grow. (BT) See examples
• moustik CA, PC, ST ( n. )
  1. Mosquito; moustique.
     No te mèt en moustikèr andan no lit pou peche moustik pike nou. We used to put mosquito netting in our beds to prevent mosquitos from biting us. (CA) See examples
  2. Gnat; moucheron.
     Ti moustik-ye. Little gnats. (PC) See examples
• moustikèr BT, CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Mosquito netting; moustiquaire.
     Nou te gen prann enn moustikèr, pase laboukonn dan no mezon pou de marogwen. We used to take mosquito netting, and pass smoke through the house against mosquitoes. (BT); No te mèt en moustikèr andan no lit pou peche moustik pike nou. We used to put mosquito netting in our beds to prevent mosquitos from biting us. (CA) See examples