diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index f4a2691..9085d57 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -9,15 +9,18 @@ on:
 jobs:
   test:
     name: Elixir ${{matrix.elixir}} / OTP ${{matrix.otp}}
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-18.04
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        include:
-          - elixir: '1.11'
-            otp: '23'
-          - elixir: '1.10'
-            otp: '22'
+        elixir:
+        - "1.9"
+        - "1.10"
+        - "1.11"
+        otp:
+        - "21.0"
+        - "22.0.2"
+        - "23.0"
 
     steps:
     - name: Checkout
@@ -37,8 +40,6 @@ jobs:
         restore-keys: |
           ${{ runner.os }}-mix-${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.elixir }}-${{ hashFiles('**/mix.lock') }}
           ${{ runner.os }}-mix-${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.elixir }}
-          ${{ runner.os }}-mix-${{ matrix.otp }}
-          ${{ runner.os }}-mix
 
     - name: Restore _build cache
       uses: actions/cache@v2
@@ -48,8 +49,6 @@ jobs:
         restore-keys: |
           ${{ runner.os }}-build-${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.elixir }}-${{ hashFiles('**/mix.lock') }}
           ${{ runner.os }}-build-${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.elixir }}
-          ${{ runner.os }}-build-${{ matrix.otp }}
-          ${{ runner.os }}-build
 
     - name: Install Dependencies
       run: |
@@ -60,4 +59,10 @@ jobs:
     - name: Run unit tests
       run: |
         mix clean
-        mix test
\ No newline at end of file
+        mix test
+
+    - name: Run unit tests with persistent_term backend
+      run: mix test
+      if: matrix.otp != '21.0'
+      env:
+        SCHEMA_PROVIDER: persistent_term
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a77a237..79bcd63 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,9 +48,22 @@ iex> I18n.t!("en", "users.title")
 
 ## Configuration
 
+### Pluralization key
+
 The key to use for pluralization is configurable, and should likely be an atom:
 
 ```elixir
 config :linguist, pluralization_key: :count
 ```
+
 will cause the system to pluralize based on the `count` parameter passed to the `t` function.
+
+### `:persistent_term` support
+
+Also you can use [`:persistent_term`](https://erlang.org/doc/man/persistent_term.html) backend instead of `:ets` in `Linguist.MemoizedVocabulary` by setting up:
+
+```elixir
+config :linguist, vocabulary_backend: :persistent_term
+```
+
+**This is only available on OTP >= 21.2**
diff --git a/config/config.exs b/config/config.exs
index eca6aa4..10cb9c4 100644
--- a/config/config.exs
+++ b/config/config.exs
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 use Mix.Config
 
-config :linguist, pluralization_key: :count
-
 config :ex_cldr, json_library: Jason
 
 if Mix.env() == :test do
   config :linguist, Linguist.Cldr, locales: ["fr", "en", "es"]
+
+  config :linguist, vocabulary_backend: (System.get_env("SCHEMA_PROVIDER") || "ets") |> String.to_existing_atom()
 end
diff --git a/lib/linguist/compiler.ex b/lib/linguist/compiler.ex
index 3811825..adf95a9 100644
--- a/lib/linguist/compiler.ex
+++ b/lib/linguist/compiler.ex
@@ -62,12 +62,10 @@ defmodule Linguist.Compiler do
       end
 
       def t(locale, path, bindings) do
-        pluralization_key = Application.fetch_env!(:linguist, :pluralization_key)
-
-        if Keyword.has_key?(bindings, pluralization_key) do
+        if Keyword.has_key?(bindings, @pluralization_key) do
           plural_atom =
             bindings
-            |> Keyword.get(pluralization_key)
+            |> Keyword.get(@pluralization_key)
             |> Cardinal.plural_rule(locale)
 
           new_path = "#{path}.#{plural_atom}"
@@ -76,7 +74,7 @@ defmodule Linguist.Compiler do
           do_t(locale, path, bindings)
         end
       end
-      
+
       unquote(translations)
 
       def do_t(_locale, _path, _bindings), do: {:error, :no_translation}
diff --git a/lib/linguist/memorized_vocabulary.ex b/lib/linguist/memorized_vocabulary.ex
index c9662f8..171cb5f 100644
--- a/lib/linguist/memorized_vocabulary.ex
+++ b/lib/linguist/memorized_vocabulary.ex
@@ -7,6 +7,50 @@ defmodule Linguist.MemorizedVocabulary do
     defexception [:message]
   end
 
+  @pluralization_key Application.get_env(:linguist, :pluralization_key, :count)
+
+  if Application.get_env(:linguist, :vocabulary_backend, :ets) == :persistent_term do
+    if not Code.ensure_loaded?(:persistent_term) do
+      raise("You've set up linguist to use :persistent_term backend, but it is available only if OTP >= 21.2")
+    end
+
+    def create_backend() do
+    end
+
+    def add_to_backend(key, value) do
+      :persistent_term.put({__MODULE__, key}, value)
+    end
+
+    def remove_from_backend(key) do
+      :persistent_term.erase({__MODULE__, key})
+    end
+
+    def get_from_backend(key) do
+      :persistent_term.get({__MODULE__, key}, nil)
+    end
+  else
+    def create_backend() do
+      if :ets.info(__MODULE__) == :undefined do
+        :ets.new(__MODULE__, [:named_table, :set, :protected])
+      end
+    end
+
+    def add_to_backend(key, value) do
+      :ets.insert(__MODULE__, {key, value})
+    end
+
+    def remove_from_backend(key) do
+      :ets.delete(__MODULE__, key)
+    end
+
+    def get_from_backend(key) do
+      case :ets.lookup(__MODULE__, key) |> List.first() do
+        {_, value} -> value
+        nil -> nil
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   @moduledoc """
   Defines lookup functions for given translation locales, binding interopolation
 
@@ -42,13 +86,12 @@ defmodule Linguist.MemorizedVocabulary do
   end
 
   def t(locale, path, bindings) do
-    pluralization_key = Application.fetch_env!(:linguist, :pluralization_key)
     norm_locale = normalize_locale(locale)
 
-    if Keyword.has_key?(bindings, pluralization_key) do
+    if Keyword.has_key?(bindings, @pluralization_key) do
       plural_atom =
         bindings
-        |> Keyword.get(pluralization_key)
+        |> Keyword.get(@pluralization_key)
         |> Cardinal.plural_rule(norm_locale)
 
       do_t(norm_locale, "#{path}.#{plural_atom}", bindings)
@@ -69,11 +112,13 @@ defmodule Linguist.MemorizedVocabulary do
 
   # sobelow_skip ["DOS.StringToAtom"]
   defp do_t(locale, translation_key, bindings) do
-    case :ets.lookup(:translations_registry, "#{locale}.#{translation_key}") do
-      [] ->
+    result = get_from_backend("#{locale}.#{translation_key}")
+
+    case result do
+      nil ->
         {:error, :no_translation}
 
-      [{_, string}] ->
+      string ->
         translation =
           Compiler.interpol_rgx()
           |> Regex.split(string, on: [:head, :tail])
@@ -92,28 +137,22 @@ defmodule Linguist.MemorizedVocabulary do
   end
 
   def locales do
-    tuple =
-      :ets.lookup(:translations_registry, "memorized_vocabulary.locales")
-      |> List.first()
-
-    if tuple do
-      elem(tuple, 1)
-    end
+    get_from_backend("memorized_vocabulary.locales") || []
   end
 
   def add_locale(name) do
-    current_locales = locales() || []
+    current_locales = locales()
+    new_locales = [name | current_locales] |> Enum.uniq()
 
-    :ets.insert(
-      :translations_registry,
-      {"memorized_vocabulary.locales", [name | current_locales]}
-    )
+    add_to_backend("memorized_vocabulary.locales", new_locales)
   end
 
   def update_translations(locale_name, loaded_source) do
+    create_backend()
+
     loaded_source
     |> Enum.map(fn {key, translation_string} ->
-      :ets.insert(:translations_registry, {"#{locale_name}.#{key}", translation_string})
+      add_to_backend("#{locale_name}.#{key}", translation_string)
     end)
   end
 
@@ -139,10 +178,6 @@ defmodule Linguist.MemorizedVocabulary do
   will not work as expected if called directly.
   """
   def _load_yaml_file(source) do
-    if :ets.info(:translations_registry) == :undefined do
-      :ets.new(:translations_registry, [:named_table, :set, :protected])
-    end
-
     {decode_status, [file_data]} = YamlElixir.read_all_from_file(source)
 
     if decode_status != :ok do
diff --git a/lib/linguist/vocabulary.ex b/lib/linguist/vocabulary.ex
index 3a90ca2..573469f 100644
--- a/lib/linguist/vocabulary.ex
+++ b/lib/linguist/vocabulary.ex
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ defmodule Linguist.Vocabulary do
   defmacro __using__(_options) do
     quote do
       Module.register_attribute(__MODULE__, :locales, accumulate: true, persist: false)
+      @pluralization_key Application.get_env(:linguist, :pluralization_key, :count)
       import unquote(__MODULE__)
       @before_compile unquote(__MODULE__)
     end