Singlish

S1I1N1G2L1I1S1H4
/ˈsɪŋ.lɪʃ/

noun

A highly colloquial or basilectal variety of Singapore English incorporating much Hokkien and Malay lexis.

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Meanings

Singlish1

nounSinglish (uncountable)
  1. Singaporeuncountablehuman sciencesA highly colloquial or basilectal variety of Singapore English incorporating much Hokkien and Malay lexis.

Singlish2

nounSinglish (uncountable)
  1. Sri Lankauncountablehuman sciencesAny of various varieties of English spoken in Sri Lanka.

Synonyms & antonyms

Broader
English
Broader
English

Origin

Singlish · noun

Blend of Singaporean + English.

Full word history & related roots →

Singlish · noun

Blend of Sinhala + English, or, Sri Lanka + English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 星式英文
  • 星式英文English-based creole used in Singapore
Chinese Mandarin 新加坡英語 /新加坡英语, 星式英語 /星式英语
  • 新加坡英語 /新加坡英语 (Xīnjiāpō Yīngyǔ)English-based creole used in Singapore
  • 星式英語 /星式英语 (Xīngshì Yīngyǔ)English-based creole used in Singapore
  • 新加坡式英語 /新加坡式英语 (Xīnjiāpōshì Yīngyǔ)English-based creole used in Singapore
Finnish singlish
  • singlishEnglish-based creole used in Singapore
French singlish
  • singlishEnglish-based creole used in Singapore
German Singlish
  • SinglishEnglish-based creole used in Singapore
Polish singlish
  • singlishEnglish-based creole used in Singapore
Cite this entry
APA

Singlish. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Singlish

MLA

“Singlish.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Singlish. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Singlish,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Singlish.

Source: Singlish on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.