posh

See also: Posh

English

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.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɑʃ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɒʃ/, IPA^(key): /pəʊʃ/ (humorous or upper-class)

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒʃ

Adjective

posh (comparative posher or more posh, superlative poshest or most posh)

2. Associated with the upper classes.

   Synonym: upper-crust

   She talks with a posh accent.

4. Stylish; elegant; exclusive; luxurious; expensive.

   Synonym: high-end

   Near-synonym: plush

   After the performance, they went out to a very posh restaurant.

6. (usually offensive, especially in Ireland, Scotland, Northern England) Snobbish, materialistic, prejudiced, under the illusion that one is better than everyone else.

   Synonym: stuck-up

   We have a right posh git moving in next door.

Quotations

• 1919: "Well, it ain't one of the classic events. It were run over there." Docker jerked a thumb vaguely in the direction of France. "At a 'Concours Hippique,' which is posh for 'Race Meeting.' — Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 156, June 18, 1919

Derived terms

• posh nosh
• posh wank
• poshen
• poshdom
• poshly
• poshness
• posho
• poshy
• too posh to push

Translations

associated with the upper classes

• Bikol Central: sosyal
• Bulgarian: аристократичен (bg) (aristokratičen), луксозен (bg) (luksozen)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: nóbl (cs)
• Dutch: deftig (nl)
• Finnish: yläluokkainen (fi)
• French: huppé (fr), bourge (fr), bobo (fr)
• German: vornehm (de)
• Italian: lussuoso (it), affettato (it), ostentato (it), manierato (it), ricercato (it), lezioso (it)
• Macedonian: аристокра́тски (aristokrátski), лу́ксузен (lúksuzen), прво́класен (prvóklasen)
• Polish: luksusowy (pl)
• Russian: аристократи́ческий (ru) (aristokratíčeskij)
• Slovak: nóbl
• Spanish: pijo (es) m (Spain), fresa (es) n (Mexico), pituco (es) m (South America), cheto (es) m (Argentina, Uruguay), fifí (es) m or f (Latin America), fichudo m (Central America)
• Tagalog: sosyal

stylish, elegant, exclusive

• Bulgarian: елегантен (bg) (eleganten), шик (bg) (šik)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: nóbl (cs), šik (cs), fajnový, luxusní (cs)
• Dutch: chic, bekakt (pejorative)
• Esperanto: ŝika
• Finnish: hieno (fi)
• French: huppé (fr), chic (fr)
• German: schick (de), todschick (de)
• Greek: κυριλέ (el) (kyrilé)
• Hungarian: sikkes (hu)
• Irish: galánta
• Italian: elegante (it), esclusivo (it), alla moda
• Macedonian: елега́нтен (elegánten), шик (šik)
• Portuguese: chique (pt)
• Russian: шика́рный (ru) (šikárnyj)
• Spanish: pijo (es), elitista (es), de postín, ficho (es)

snobbish

• Bulgarian: снобски (bg) (snobski)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Esperanto: snobo, dando (eo)
• Finnish: leuhka (fi)
• Italian: snobistico (it)
• Portuguese: esnobe (pt)
• Spanish: snob (es) m or f, esnob (es) m or f, fresón (es) m (Central America), fifí (es) m or f (Latin America)

Interjection

posh

1. An exclamation expressing derision.
   • 1889: "The czar! Posh! I slap my fingers--I snap my fingers at him." — Rudyard Kipling, The Man Who Was

Derived terms

• pish posh

Noun

posh (countable and uncountable, plural poshes)

1. (uncountable) fragments produced by an impact
2. (uncountable) slush
3. (countable, UK, slang, obsolete) A halfpenny or other coin of little value.
4. (uncountable, UK, slang, obsolete) Money.

Verb

posh (third-person singular simple present poshes, present participle poshing, simple past and past participle poshed)

1. (normally in the phrasal verb posh up) To make posh, or posher.

   Synonym: poshen

References

• “posh”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• (halfpenny; money): John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary

Anagrams

• Hosp., OHPs, PHOs, Soph, hops, hosp, phos, shop, soph

Maricopa

Noun

posh

1. cat

Romani

Alternative forms

• push

Etymology

From Old Armenian փոշի (pʻoši). Doublet of poshík.

Noun

posh

1. dust

References

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1979) “փոշի”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume IV, Yerevan: University Press, page 517a
• Vaillant, Jean-Alexandre (1868) “pos'”, in Grammaire, dialogues et vocabulaire de la langue des Bohémiens ou Cigains (in French), Paris: Maisonneuve, page 123a