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

• noyo PC ( n. ) nòyo PC nokòyo CA
  1. Ankle; cheville.
     To noyo gonfle. Your ankle is swollen. (PC); Mo konyen mo nokòyo e sa fe mal. I bumped my ankle and it hurts. (CA) See examples
  2. Joint (of the body, e.g. ankle, knee); jointure, articulation. (PC)
  3. Larynx, Adam’s apple; pomme d’Adam, larynx. (PC)
• nu PC, ST ( adj. ) ni LA, PC
  1. Bare, naked; nu.
     ♦ Gros chêne qui dans la plaine, so feille s parti, li tout-tout ni. The big oak tree which is on the plain, its leaves are everywhere and it is naked. (T21) •nu-pye adv.phr. ni-pye (gen.). Barefoot; nu-pieds. Mo jame marche ni-pye deor. I never walk barefoot outside. (NE); Mach pa ni-pye o plonche frèt! Don’t walk barefoot on the cold floor! (BT) ♦ Tous ti négrillons yé té couri ni-pieds. Little black boys went barefoot. (T27) •ni-tèt adv.phr. Bareheaded; a la tête découverte. ♦ Li té mette so lommebrelle dans beau temps et li té couri ni-tête quand la plie té tommebé. He took his umbrella in fine weather and he went bareheaded when it was raining. (BD) See examples
  2. Bald; chauve.
     Sa tèt tu nu. His head is bald. (PC); Li gen latèt ni. His head is bare. (CA) See examples
• nuaj No sources ( n. ) miryaj CA
  1. Cloud; nuage.
     Ena en ta de miryaj dan syèl-la. There are a lot of clouds in the sky. (CA) •A chak fwa en nyaj nwa lev don sid epi li kouri don nòrwès na gen lapli pou sir lonnmen. Every time a black cloud rises in the south and goes northwest we’ll have rain for sure the next day. (LA) See examples
• nul-pa PC ( adv.phr. ) nil-pa CA nil-par CA, NE nir-par ST
  1. Not anywhere, nowhere; nulle part.
     Anon mare piròg-la. Li pa konen ale nil-par. Let’s tie the pirogue. It won’t be able to go anywhere. (CA) ♦ Ye te pe pa trouve li an nil pa. They couldn’t find him anywhere. (JR) •nul-pa dòt adv.phr. (PC); nil-pa dòt (CA); nir-par dòt (ST). Nowhere else; nulle part ailleurs. Mo krwa pa ena sa nul-pa dòt, èksèp isit. I don’t think that exists anywhere but here. (PC) See examples
• nul-plas PC ( adv. ) nil-plas CA, PC
  1. Nowhere, not anywhere; nulle part.
     Li jamen kouri nil-plas . He has never gone anywhere. (PC) See examples
• numéro BT ( n. ) liméro CA, PC diméro PC lémiro CA limèro CA limiro CA, ST
  1. Number; numéro.
     Vou gen toumen li iska li vini onnt le dè limero-la. Safe li LEVEL, an nivo. You have to turn it until the bubble is between the two numbers. That’s when [the board] is level. (PC); Mo dòn de limero e mo mande si-la ke gen limèro pèr pou vini an avon. Si-la ke gen limèro pa pèr, ye rès annariyè. I gave out numbers and I asked those with even numbers to come forward. Those who have odd numbers stay in the back. (CA) ♦ Li souvan zonglé limiro cila a porté li malor. He often thought that number would bring him bad luck. (T6) See examples
  2. Phone number; numéro de téléphone.
     Mo pa konnen dimero, mo kwa li dan liv-la. I don’t know the (phone) number, I think it’s in the book. (PC) •numero d telefonn n.phr. (BT; CA). Phone number; numéro de téléphone. Le peulis gen mon numero d telefonn. The police have my phone number. (BT) See examples
  3. Size; pointure, taille.
     Ki lemiro soulye to mèt mo ti zanfan ? What size shoe are you putting on my children? (CA); Mo mèt soulye limiro wit. I wear shoe size number eight. (ST) See examples
• nwa BT, CA, ST ( n. ) dinwa PC
  1. Nut; noix, •nwa gal
     n.phr. Gall-nut; noix de galle. ♦ [Pou] en dart, frote li avek de nwa gal. For a skin rash, rub it with gall-nuts. (BI) •nwa miskad n.phr. Nutmeg; (noix de) muscade, cf. muskad See examples
  2. Walnut; noix.
     Dòn mwa en ta de denwa. Give me a bunch of walnuts. (PC) ♦ Michié Somme lair voté ein Bile Souflémentair pou asté venne cin sang boâte di nouâ et sang saintkantevin broce à souyé. Mr. Sommelair voted for a supplementary bill to buy 2500 boxes of walnuts and 170 shoebrushes. (T16) •pye denwa n.phr. (PC). Walnut tree; noyer. See examples
  3. Testicles; testicules, prunes.
     Laplòt frape li dan so nwa-ye e li te pròch pa kapab marche. The ball hit him in the nuts and he was almost incapable of walking. (CA) See examples
• nwar CA, NE, ST ( adj. ) nwa CA, PC nwa PC
  1. Black; noir.
     Mo jan, li li pran pa disik ditou. Li jis bwa li nwa kòm sa. My son-in-law does not take any sugar at all, he just drinks it black like that. (PC) ; Se laswi nwa-la ki pran fe dan en chimnen an brik. It’s the black soot that catches fire in a brick chimney. (CA) ♦ Ta bo metté bel robe la, moin, in vaillant nabit noir. It doesn’t do you any good to put on that beautiful dress, or me a handsome black suit. (T31) •fe nwar v.phr. (CA). To get dark, be dark out; faire noir. Lajomen ape vini kòrt. Y ape fe nwar bonèr. The days are getting short. It’s getting dark early. (CA) ♦ Jamin li té pas prend so parasol dans jou, jis la nouitte, quand li té fait ben noir. She never took her parasol out during the day, only at night when it was dark. (FO T18) See examples
• nwar CA, PC, ST ( n. )
  1. Black person; noir.
     Ye te gen kabouch, petèt de kabouch, on cha, èn pou blan e èn pou nwa. They had a caboose, maybe two cabooses, on the train, one for whites and the other for blacks. (PC) See examples
• nwarad PC ( adj. ) nwarat CA, PC
  1. Blackish; noirâtre.
     Sèrpan dezef li manj dezef. Gro vye sèrpan nwarad li gro. A yellow chicken snake eats eggs. It’s a big blackish snake. (PC); Dolo-sa-a-la li nwarat. Mo pa kapab bwa li. That water is blackish. I can’t drink it. (CA) See examples
• nwaro CA ( adj. )
  1. Jet black; noir comme jais.
     Karankro-la li te nwaro. The buzzard was jet black. (CA) See examples
• nwaro ST ( n. )
  1. Very dark-skinned black person; personne noire à la peau très foncée.
     ♦ Ponga to fon defons, nwaro. Si to fon defons to va tchwe mwen. Repons: en chodyè dolo kape bouyi on dife. Mind well your bottom does not fall out, Darky. If your bottom should out (sic) you will kill me. Answer: A pot of water boiling over the fire. (DU) See examples
• nwarsi CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To blacken, turn black; noircir.
     Mo mèt CHAYNOLA desi mo soulye-ye pou fe li nwarsi plis. I put shoe shine on my shoes to make them turn more black. (CA) ♦ Na koné coucé dan maim latante, aine nouârci pa lot. We used to sleep in the same tent, and one does not blacken the other. (T17) See examples
• nwayo CA, MO 60, PC, ST ( n. ) nwayo MO 60
  1. Pit, stone; noyau.
     Nwayo don depech-la. The pit is inside the peach. (PC); Plakmin-ye ye gen en nwayo. Persimmons have a pit. (CA) See examples
• nwayé CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Walnut tree; noyer.
     Nway e-la li plen nwazèt. The walnut tree is full of walnuts. (CA) See examples
• nwayé CA, ST ( v., v.intr., v.tr. ) néyé CA, PC, ST néyè PC nwoyé PC
  1. To drown; se noyer.
     To brav pou ale sote dan dolo pou sove so lavi. Li t ap neyé. You’re brave to go jump in the water to save his life. He was drowning. (CA) ♦ Di jis coulé dri et rempli bac léyé, assez pou to nagé, assez pou to néyé. The syrup flowed thick and filled the buckets, enough for you to swim in, enough for you to drown in. (T27)1. To drown; noyer. Li neyé li. He drowned him. (PC) ♦ Fleuve pa loin; comandé moin, ma parti couri néyé moin laddan tou suite. The river is not far; order me, and I will go drown myself in it right away. (ME) 2. To irrigate; irriguer. Ye plante diri-la, enen en sèrten tan ye a neye diri-la, ave dolo. They planted the rice, and then at some point they’ll flood the rice with water. (PC) 3. To flood; inonder. Nou pèd tou no mayi, tou sa nwoye. We lost all our com, all of it was flooded. (PC) See examples
• nwazèt CA ( n. )
  1. Nut; noix.
     No te va achte en sak de nwazèt pou kenz sou. Enave denwa, dezalmann, deglann, de zòrtey nèg osi. We would buy a big bag of nuts for 15 cents. There were walnuts, almonds, acorns, Brazil nuts too. (CA) See examples
  2. Walnut; noix.
     Nwaye-la li plen nwazèt. The walnut tree is full of walnuts. (CA) See examples
• nwit No sources ( n. ) lànwit CA, NE, PC, ST nwi CA, PC lànwi BT, CA, NE ñi MO 60
  1. Night; nuit.
     Ye te konnen wa en ti lalimyè dan FIELD-la. E to wa li juch dan lànwit. They used to see a light in the field. And you only saw it at night. (PC) ♦Nita c'est ein ti zozo Nafrique qui chanté la nuite quand la lune apé clairé. Nita is a small bird from Africa who sings at night when the moon is bright. (FO T20) •tou lanwit adv.phr. (CA; PC). All night long; toute la nuit. Dan tan-la, ye te kit ye fanm da kabonn kouri bwa rete tou lanwit. In the old days, they left their wives at home and went out to drink, and they stayed out all night. (PC); Li t ape touse tou lanwi. He was coughing all night. (CA) •le nwit adv.phr. (PC). At night; la nuit. See examples
• Nwèl CA, PC, ST ( n. )
  1. Christmas; Noël.
     Jou avan de Nwèl. The day before Christmas. (PC); Li dòn man en kado pou Nwèl. He gave me a Christmas present. (CA) •dibwa Nwèl n.phr. (CA). Christmas tree; arbre de Noël. Mo dekòre mo dibwa Nwèl. I decorated my Christmas. (CA) •jou de Nwel n.phr. 1) New Year’s Day; le jour de l’An. 2) Christmas Day; le jour de Noël. cf. jour See examples
• nyo BT ( n. ) nyòk BT
  1. Nest egg; nichet.
     Kite en nœf dan l nichwar e la safe lezòt poul kouri ponn la, mo pèl lœf-la en nyo, paskœ sa rèst dan l poulaye. Leave an egg in the breeding cage and that will make the other hens lay, I call that egg a [nyo] because you leave it in the henhouse. (BT) See examples
• nyounyoun BT ( n. )
  1. Longjohns, long underwear; sous-vêtement long.
     Li te ich o nyounyoun kon sa fe en kou-d-ton don lànwi. He was just in his longjohns when the weather was stormy during the night. (BT) See examples
• nyès PC ( n. )
  1. Niece; nièce.
     Mo pa gen piti me mo gen de bon nyes e neve. I have no kids, but I have good nieces and nephews. (PC) See examples
• nèg CA, MO 60, NE, PC ( n. ) nég PC
  1. pej. Negro, black person; nègre, noir.
     Ye se bliye sa, men vyè moun-an toujou di piti-la ABOUT neg-la, to konen, ‘kite neg-la trankil! ' They would forget that, but old folks were always telling kids about the black man, ‘Leave the black man alone!’ (PC) ♦ Ein vié nègue borgnon vini dan diboi, apé mandé lasarité. An old one-eyed black man came into the woods begging for alms. (T7) •neg nwa n.phr. (PC). Very dark-skinned black person; personne noire a la peau très foncée. See examples
  2. Pal, buddy; pote, copain.
     O wi, nèg! Oh yes, old pal! (NE) 3, pej. Creole (language); (langue) créole, •gro nèg n.phr. (CA). Creole as spoken by blacks on the German Coast; créole parlé par les noirs de la Côte des Allemands, •diri gro neg n.phr. Long grain rice; riz à grains longs, cf. diri •pi neg n.phr. (DT). Basilectal variety of Creole, called «pure Creole»; variété basilectale du créole, dit «créole pur». See examples
• nèg No sources ( n. ) lèg ST
  1. Eagle; aigle.
     ♦ Ain torti tapé prié ain naigle montrer li voler. A turtle was begging an eagle to teach him to fly. (ME 90) See examples
• nèglon CA ( n. )
  1. Eagle; aigle.
     Ènave dez Endyen la-o e eusot trouve sa danz en nik a en nèglon. There were some Indians up there, and they found that in an eagle’s nest. (CA) See examples
• nèksèpsyon No sources ( n. )
  1. Exception; exception.
     ♦ E pi mo toujou dressé la police pou li laché ein nomme can nomme la gagnin l'agent, é mo pensé yé va pa fé nexception pou moin, pasqué ye sré perdi l'agent, mo sré donnin yé. Besides, I have always instructed the police to let go a man who had money, and I suppose that they will make no exception for me, for they would lose the money which I would give them. (FO 1887) See examples
• nèni PC ( n. ) nènni CA
  1. Nanny goat; chèvre femelle.
• nènni CA ( n. )
  1. A small person; personne de petite taille.
     Li reste en ti nenni lontan lontan. Astèr li en gran nom. He stayed a small person a long long time. Now he’s a tall man. (CA) See examples
• nèrf gen ( n. ) nèf PC naf CA
  1. Nerve; nerf.
     Pou rache en dan, WELL, ye te pa ga anryen pou tchoue nèf-la. To extract a tooth, well, they had nothing to deaden the nerves. (PC) •kriz de nèrf n.phr. Nervous breakdown; crise de nerfs. cf. kriz See examples
  2. Vein; veine.
     Vlen-la pas drèt-la dan ton san par te naf. The poison goes directly into your blood through your veins. (CA) 3, Muscle; muscle. ♦ [Pou] foulir, ...a lafen i fo tire en pe pou lache le nèif ki foule . For a sprain, you have to pull a little to release the sprained muscle. (BI) See examples
• nèrvè No sources ( adj. ) nèrvèz CA nèrvéz PC
  1. Nervous; nerveux.
     Sa kapab èt en moun ki nèrvez, e li ole wa kekenn, l apè demonje pou kouri la, pou gòn la. It might be someone who is nervous, and he wants to see someone, he is itching to go there. (PC) See examples
• nèsans CA ( n. ) nésan BT
  1. Birth; naissance.
     Nesan se kan i ape ne. The birth is when he is being born. (BT) ♦ Dimin, vou connin, cé ain gran jou, cé jou niversaire vou nessance é kenne momzèl Chant-d'Oise1. Tomorrow, you know, is a big day, it’s yours and Chant-d’Oisel's birthday. (ME) See examples
• nèt MO 72 ( adv. ) nét PC
  1. Completely; net, complètement.
     ♦ Jan te desole net fwa-sa-la. John was completely upset that time. (JR) •tou nèt adv.phr. (CA). All; tout. Mo te gen kat piti e ye tou nèt marye. I had four children and they’re all married. (CA) See examples
  2. Straight, directly; directement.
     Li tè galòpe nèt an grennyen. He ran straight to the attic. (MO 72) See examples
  3. Clean; propre.
     Tite fille faut ti soigne to galette, faut ti garder ça tout nette. Little girl, you must take good care of your vagina, you must keep it very clean. (DC) See examples
• nètwayé gen, MO 60 ( v.tr. ) lètwayé PC nétwayé PC nètway PC nétway CA, PC nètwa CA
  1. To clean; nettoyer.
     Mo lamezon tre sal. Mo di mo mari: ti veu pa ède mo nètwaye ? My house is very dirty. I said to my husband, ‘Don’t you want to help me clean?’ (CA) 2. To clean, prepare (a sugar cane stalk, an animal); nettoyer, préparer (un animal, la canne à sucre). To trap dusan-lan pou fe bouden, è kochon-la a zus mouri. E ye nètway li, e la ye koup li. You catch the blood to make boudin, and the pig just dies. Then they clean it and they cut it up. (PC) 2. To clean out, clear, empty; vider, balayer, prendre tout. Ye vine dan lakanpayng, ye te nètwaye tou. La, ye ranpli le ‘dipfrizeu,’ te pare pou tou l anne. They came into the countryside and cleaned it out. They filled their deep freezers, they were ready for the whole year. (BT) •nètwaye lakou v.phr. (PC). To work in the yard, do yardwork; travailler dans la cour. Aben, mo GRANDSON mo gen la la, li vyen nètwaye mo lakou. My grandson comes over to help clean my yard. (PC) 4. To clear (land, for planting); défricher. ♦ Ye te plis ke kontan pou ede li netche so later, ki te plen avek lèb. They were more than happy to help him clear his ground, which was covered with grass. (JR) —v.refl. To clean oneself up, wash up; se laver, faire sa toilette. ♦ Tou jenn garson-ye netche ye-menm pròp pou kouri bal e seye ganyen fiy-la. All of the young boys washed up to go to the dance and try to get a girl. (JR) See examples
• né CA, PC ( n. ) nin CA, MO 60, PC
  1. Nose; nez.
     Son nen te koule. His nose was running. (PC); Li frape li dan so ne e so ne t ape sengnen. He hit him in the nose and his nose was bleeding. (CA) ♦ Yé oua dé chien qui tapé grongnin nez a nez et pi yé senti yé méme partout. They saw dogs growling nose to nose and smelling each other all over. (FO T15) See examples
• né gen ( v., v.intr., v.tr. ) nè CA iné NE
  1. To be bom; naître.
     Nou te ne e èlve kreòl. We were bom and raised Creole. (NE); Ka lalin jis ne. When the moon is new. (PC); Kan li ne, so moman mouri. When he was born, his mother died. (CA) ♦ Nave en vye fonm ki tonn di nave en ti bebe ki te jis ne. There was an old woman who heard that there was a newborn baby. (LA)To give birth; accoucher (de). Èkan mo-kenn mam nè mwen, li nè mwen pou en bon koz . When my mother gave birth to me, she gave birth to me for a good reason. (CA) See examples
• né-doub BT, ST ( n. )
  1. Breech birth; accouchement par le siège.
     Kan piti-le sòrti par ye fon ou ye pye, to pele sa en ne-doub. When babies come out by their bottoms or their feet, you call that a breech birth. (ST) See examples
• né-mouri BT, CA, ST ( n. )
  1. Stillbirth; mort-né.
     Lœ ti bebe ki mòr dan to kòr se en ne-mouri. The little baby who dies inside your body is a stillbirth. (BT); Mo nevyenm piti li ne-mouri. My ninth child was stillborn. (CA) See examples
• né-ni CA ( n. )
  1. Baby bom without vernix caseosa; enfant né sans vemix caseosa.
• négray No sources ( n. )
  1. Black people; noirs.
     ♦ Yé n'en oussi tout sort' bétail. Yé pas montré pou la né grail'. There are also every kind of animal. They don’t show up for black folks. (GC2) See examples
• négriyon CA ( n. )
  1. Little black boy; négrillon, petit garçon noir.
     Li te pa klè. Li te en ti negriyon. He wasn’t light-skinned. He was a little black boy. (CA) ♦ Mais tous ti négrillons yé té couri ni-pieds. But little black boys went barefoot. (T27) See examples
• négrès CA, MO 60, NE, PC ( n. ) négrés PC
  1. Black woman; négresse, femme noire.
     Sèt èn vyeuy negrès ki travaye laba che mon. It’s an old black woman who works down at my place. (NE); Lontan pase ye te e van neg e negres-ye. A long time ago they sold black men and black women. (PC) ♦ Cé on 4 jiyet lampérau Chalomon marié avé ein négraice li pélé larenne Shaba. It was on a Fourth of July that the emperor Solomon married a black woman that he called the Queen of Sheba. (T13) See examples
• néj No sources ( n. ) lanéj NE, PC lanèj CA
  1. Snow; neige.
     Mo kabann te blan konm lanej. My house was as white as snow. (PC); Lanèj ape tonbe. Li vafonn. Snow is falling. It will melt. (CA) ♦ Li té né quand péchers té en flairs méme l'année qué la neige té tombé. He was bom when the peach trees were in bloom the same year that the snow was falling. (FO T2) See examples
• néjé CA, ST ( v.intr. )
  1. To snow; neiger.
     Sa neje isit pou dè jour, è li rèste desi latèr-la senk jour. It snowed here for two days and it stayed on the ground for five days. (CA) See examples
• nékrin CA ( n. )
  1. Jewelry box; écrin.
     Li gen tou so dòrir dan nekren. She’s got all her gold jewelry in the jewelry box. (CA) ♦ Yé té volé bel chaine, yé té volé Romaine, yé té volé n'écrin et pi souyé fin. They stole beautiful necklaces, they stole beautiful dresses, and jewelry boxes and fine shoes. (T10) See examples
• néritaj No sources ( n. )
  1. Inheritance; héritage.
     ♦ Vou oua compair Bouki, li pa moune, li cé ein choal mo popa laissé moin en néritage. You see Compair Bouki, he is not a person, he is a horse which my father has left me as an inheritance. (FO 1887) See examples
• nésésèr CA, NE, ST ( adj. ) nèsèsè PC
  1. Necessary; nécessaire.
     T ole m ajèt diven? Pa nesesèr fe sa. ‘Do you want me to buy some wine?’ Tt’s not necessary to do that.’ (NE); Mo pa gen lapoud pou lafigur me se pa nesesèr. I haven’t got any powder for my face but it’s not necessary. (ST) ♦Cé kichoge tro nécessaie gagnin ein pi, cé la vie ou la mort é nou pa capab fé sans ça. That is too necessary a thing, to get a well; it is life or death for us, and we cannot do without it. (FO 1887) See examples
• nét PC ( n. )
  1. Fish net; filet à pêcher.
• névyèm No sources ( num.ord. ) névyèm CA
  1. Ninth; neuvième.
     Mo nevyenm piti li ne-mouri. My ninth child was stillborn. (CA) ♦ Compair Chivreil rivé côté névième zalon. Brer Deer arrived at the ninth marker. (T5) See examples
• néyèr No sources ( n. )
  1. One who drowns; quelqu’un qui se noie.
     ♦ Bon nageair, bon neyair. The best swimmer is often drowned. (FO 1887) See examples
• nòm gen, MO 60 ( n. ) nonm BT, CA, PC, ST nom CA lòm NE
  1. Man; homme.
     E garson a MISS CHANDLER , boys, se kèk-chòz, nonm-sa-la. Mo jame wa en nonm smat konm sa. And Miss Chandler’s son, boy, he’s something else, I’ve never seen a man as smart as that one. (BT); Le jœn nonm la pleri. The young men of the swamps. (ST) ♦ Sa t ape fe la? vye nonm-la mannde li. ‘What are you doing there?’ the old man asked him. (JR) •gro nòm 2 n.phr. (LA) 1) Famous man; homme célèbre. (CA) 2) Big shot, important person, bigwig; gros bonnet, personne importante. Li krwa li en gro nòm pou fe tou sa l ap fe. He thinks he’s a big shot for doing all he does. (CA) jenn nòm (CA). Young man; jeune homme. Kan to danse ave en kavalye, en ti jin onm k t e danse ave, li gen pran to lamen mennen twa kote latab pran to trit. When you’re dancing with a young ‘cavalier’, a young dance partner, he is supposed to take your hand and lead you to the table to get your treat. (PC) ♦ Konm fiy-la te ben joli, tou jennonm-ye prepare pou kouri bal. Since all the girls were very pretty, all the young men were getting ready to go to the dance. (JR) •jin onm n.phr. (PC); Pharmacist, druggist; pharmacien. Doktè dòn mwen en papye pou mon gen mo medikòmon, nòm DRUGSTORE-la dòn li medikòman. The doctor gave me a paper so I could get my medicine. The pharmacist gave him the medicine. (PC) •nòm lamal n.phr. (CA; PC; ST). Mail-man, postman; facteur. • nòm romenn n.phr. (PC). Scarecrow; épouvantail. •vyeu nòm n.phr. (CA; PC). Old man, husband; mari. Vyeu nòm-la te gen en fizi. Li te va i te tchwe trwa kat lapen kirey e tou kicho. My old man had a rifle. He would go kill three or four rabbits, some squirrels, everything. (PC) See examples