patassa

Of Mobilian/Western Muskogean origin; cf. Choctaw nʋni pʋtʋssa (“sunfish”, literally “flat fish”).

• IPA^(key): /pa.ta.sa/
• (Louisiana) IPA^(key): /pa.ta.sa/
• Rhymes: -a
• Homophone: patassas

patassa m (plural patassas)

1. (Louisiana) any of various freshwater fish of the sunfish family (such as bluegill, warmouth, crappie, or bream), often locally called perch or sun perch
   • 2010, Valdman, et al., Dictionary of Louisiana French as Spoken in Cajun, Creole, and American Indian Communities, page 446:

     J’ai attrapé un hourra de patassas avec erien d’autre que des laiches.

     I caught a bunch of bream with nothing but earthworms.

2. (Louisiana) dolt, stupid person, dumbass
3. (Louisiana) heavy, stout man
   • 2010, Valdman, et al., Dictionary of Louisiana French as Spoken in Cajun, Creole, and American Indian Communities, page 446:

     Jean est un gros patassa.

     John is a fat man.

• Dictionary of Louisiana French: As Spoken in Cajun, Creole, and American Indian Communities (2009; →ISBN; →ISBN)