A Good Jamaican Dictionary
Where Can I Get One?

New! Ready To Visit Jamaica?

Join countless of travelers who have already unlocked the secrets to experiencing Jamaica on a budget. Click Here and find out how.

And, if you ever need a trustworthy, friendly and knowledgeable local guide, consider booking a private tour with us!

1. Dictionary of Jamaican English
2. A book called Understanding Jamaican Patois, 
3. And another, Jabari Authentic Jamaican Dictionary

• The Jabari Jamaican Glossary captures over 3000 clear and concise definitions of Jamaican words and phrases.
  
  Also included are pronunciation guides, variants, usage notes, parts of speech etc. I have a copy that I myself refer to quite often - I love it!
  
  

• Emile Adams' Understanding Jamaican Patois is another great resource.
  
  This easy-to-understand introduction to Afro-Jamaican grammar "explains clearly and simply the basics of Jamaican patois. Most importantly I think the book has an important role to play in helping Jamaicans take pride in their language and see that it is not second-class"
  
  (Deborah Pruitt, anthropologist, Berkeley, California). (Foreign Language Studies)
  
  
• Dictionary of Jamaican English 
  
  This is the second edition of the authoritative Dictionary of Jamaican English, first published in 1967.
  
  This edition includes a greatly extended supplement and offers a systematic indexing of the extent to which the lexis is shared with other Caribbean countries: Surinam, Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados, Nicaragua and Belize.
  
  The method and plan of the Dictionary are basically those of the Oxford English Dictionary, but oral sources have been extensively tapped in addition to detailed coverage of literature published in or about Jamaica since 1655
  

New Here?

I recommend you START HERE to enjoy the best of this website!

New! For Authentic Jamaican products, from my very own hands, visit my Etsy store here.