posh en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (UK) audio
- /pɑʃ/ (General-American)
- /pɒʃ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /pəʊʃ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Unknown. Most likely derived from Romani posh (“half”), either because posh-kooroona (“half a crown”) (originally a substantial sum of money) was used metaphorically for anything pricey or upper-class, or because posh-houri (“half-penny”) came to refer to money generally. A period slang dictionary defines "posh" as a term used by thieves for "money : generic, but specifically, a halfpenny or other small coin". An example is given from James Payn's The Eavesdropper (1888): "They used such funny terms: 'brads,' and 'dibbs,' and 'mopusses,' and 'posh' ... at last it was borne in upon me that they were talking about money." Evidence exists for a slang sense from the 1890s meaning dandy, which is quite possibly related. A popular folk etymology holds that the term is an acronym for "port out, starboard home", describing the cooler, north-facing cabins taken by the most aristocratic or rich passengers travelling from Britain to India and back. However, there is no evidence for this claim. It could also possibly be a clipping of polished. See also the articles mentioned in the References section below for additional discussion.
Meanings
-
Associated with the upper classes.
She talks with a posh accent.
In antenatal clinic, an extremely posh patient attends for a routine appointment. All is well with her extremely posh fetus. Her extremely posh eight-year-old asks her a question about the economy (!), and before she answers, she asks her extremely posh five-year-old, ‘Do you know what the economy is, darling?’ ’Yes, Mummy. It’s the part of the plane that’s terrible.’
2017, Adam Kay, This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor:
-
Stylish; elegant; exclusive; luxurious; expensive.
Near-synonym: plush
Jan Petter Vala is serving part of a 10-year murder sentence on a posh island in southern Norway.
2012 May 24, John D. Sutter, “Welcome to the world’s nicest prison”, in CNN:“Miss Shaw’s got a new frock,” said Harriet. ”So she has! How posh of her! […]”
1935, Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night:After the performance, they went out to a very posh restaurant.
-
(Northern-England, Scotland, especially, in Ireland, offensive, usually) Snobbish, materialistic, prejudiced, under the illusion that one is better than everyone else.
We have a right posh git moving in next door.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most posh | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| poshest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more posh | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| posher | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
poshdom · poshocrat · unposh · poshness · poshly · poshen · poshtel · semiposh · poshocracy · ultraposh · posh wank · posho · posh nosh · poshy · too posh to push
Synonyms
plush · stuck-up · high-end · upper-crust
Translations (67)
fi hieno (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · fr huppé (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · it ricercato (associated with the upper classes) · bcl sosyal (associated with the upper classes) · fi yläluokkainen (associated with the upper classes) · pt esnobe (snobbish) · it esclusivo (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · it lezioso (associated with the upper classes) · sk nóbl (associated with the upper classes) · eo dando (snobbish) · ru шика́рный (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · mk елега́нтен (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · nl chic (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · fr huppé (associated with the upper classes) · cs nóbl (associated with the upper classes) · es fifí (snobbish) · es fresa (associated with the upper classes) · bg елегантен (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · cs luxusní (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · es de postín (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · bg снобски (snobbish) · cs šik (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · de schick (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · it ostentato (associated with the upper classes) · es fifí (associated with the upper classes) · es fichudo (associated with the upper classes) · es fresón (snobbish) · ru аристократи́ческий (associated with the upper classes) · pt chique (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · mk прво́класен (associated with the upper classes) · es popof (associated with the upper classes) · es elitista (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · it affettato (associated with the upper classes) · it manierato (associated with the upper classes) · mk аристокра́тски (associated with the upper classes) · hu sikkes (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · fr chic (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · bg шик (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · eo ŝika (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · ga galánta (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · nl deftig (associated with the upper classes) · es pijo (associated with the upper classes) · cs fajnový (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · bg луксозен (associated with the upper classes) · es cheto (associated with the upper classes) · es pituco (associated with the upper classes) · it elegante (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · cs nóbl (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · es pijo (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · fr bobo (associated with the upper classes) · de vornehm (associated with the upper classes) · pl luksusowy (associated with the upper classes) · mk шик (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · eo snobo (snobbish) · es ficho (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · fi leuhka (snobbish) · de todschick (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · bg аристократичен (associated with the upper classes) · mk лу́ксузен (associated with the upper classes) · it alla moda (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · it snobistico (snobbish) · it lussuoso (associated with the upper classes) · fr bourge (associated with the upper classes) · tl sosyal (associated with the upper classes) · el κυριλέ (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · es popof (stylish, elegant, exclusive) · nl bekakt (stylish, elegant, exclusive)