# posh

> English word · Adjective · IPA /pɑʃ/ · frequency rank #17,212

## Definitions
1. Associated with the upper classes.
2. Stylish; elegant; exclusive; luxurious; expensive.
3. Snobbish, materialistic, prejudiced, under the illusion that one is better than everyone else.

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **PS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-ps)
- **pot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-pot)
- **PSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-psa)
- **PTS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-pts)
- **psi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-psi)
- **POW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-pow)
- **PSG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-psg)
- **POV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-pov)
- **PST** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-pst)
- **PSP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-psp)
- **pus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-pus)
- **pox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-pox)
- **PSU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-psu)
- **PPS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-pps)
- **PRS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-prs)
- **PSC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-psc)
- **PSL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-psl)
- **psh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-psh)
- **post** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-post)
- **push** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/posh-vs-push)

## Common misspellings (6)
`opsh`, `pohs`, `poshh`, `possh`, `pposh`, `psoh`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/posh