Patty
The Jamaican beef (or chicken, or veggie) patty — a flaky, curry-coloured pastry sold at corner stores and bakeries across the city. Not slang exactly, but non-negotiable Toronto cultural vocabulary.
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How it's used
This one's tied to Toronto's culture at large — sports, food or music that's become part of the city's identity.
“Grab me a patty and a coco bread on your way.”
Where it comes from
Origin: Jamaican-Canadian food culture. It's one of many Toronto terms that trace back to Jamaican Patois, brought into the city through Toronto's Caribbean communities. Read the fuller story in our history of Toronto slang.
Sources
This entry was compiled through general research into Toronto/GTA slang rather than one single citable source — see the full bibliography in SOURCES.md and the wider context in our history of Toronto slang.
This word is a possible Torontle answer — the Wordle-style game built from this dictionary.
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