You’ve likely heard of Posh Spice, but do you know the meaning of posh? Not to worry — we’ll tell you. Read on to get the scoop on the word posh.
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Kevin
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June 28, 2022
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Common Questions
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If you’re a part of the largest living generation in the United States (aka millennials), there’s no denying that you’re not familiar with the iconic British pop group The Spice Girls.
Known for their infectious songs and quirky nicknames like Scary Spice, Sporty Spice, and Baby Spice, members of the legendary pop music group were loved by fans far and wide — especially Posh Spice, who is (somewhat ironically) the wealthiest member of the group today.
That said, what does the word posh mean? And how can it be used in a sentence? We’ll tell you. Read on to discover the definition behind posh, usage examples, and more.
What Is the Definition of Posh?
To help you best understand the meaning of posh, we’ve compiled a list of definitions from a few trusted dictionaries for you to review below:
- The Cambridge Dictionary defines posh as expensive and of high quality.
- According to the Collins Dictionary, if you describe something as posh, you mean that it’s fashionable, elegant, and expensive. Additionally, if you describe someone as posh, you mean that they belong to an upper class.
- The Oxford English Dictionary says posh is an adjective that can be defined as elegant or stylishly luxurious.
After reviewing these definitions, we can conclude that our word of the day is the quality of being elegant, stylish, or upper class.
What Is the Etymology of Posh?
The history behind our word of the day is a little fuzzy, but it most likely derived from Romani posh (meaning “half”). This might be because of the word posh-kooroona (meaning, “half a crown” or referring to a substantial sum of money), which was used metaphorically for anything related to the upper class. It also could be because of the word posh-houri (meaning “half-penny”), which became a general term for money.
That said, the word posh entered the English language some time in the early 1900s to mean “stylish” and “smart.”
What Are the Synonyms and Antonyms of Posh?
Now that you have a pretty good understanding of our word of the day, it’s time to pop open your handy-dandy thesaurus so we can take a look at a few synonyms and antonyms.
Synonyms of posh include:
- Upmarket
- Elegant
- With it
- Ritzy
- In style
- Fashionable
- La di da
- Top drawer
- Posher
- Elite
- Well-liked
- Fancy pants
- Upper class
- Sumptuous
- In vogue
- Swank
- Regal
- All the rage
- Up to the minute
- Of gentle birth
- Plush
- Well-groomed
- A go-go
- Ornate
- Upmarket
- High toned
- Wellborn
- Dressed to the nines
- Lordly
- Latest thing
- Classy
- Aristocratic
- Blue-blooded
- High class
Antonyms of posh include:
- Modest
- Simple
- Low cost
- Humble
- Unpretentious
- Old fashioned
- Shoddy
- Third rate
- Cheap and nasty
- Low quality
- Unsophisticated
- Mediocre
- Inferior
- Discreet
- Low grade
- Common
- Plebeian
- Undignified
- Regular
- Second rate
- Lower class
- Blue singlet
- Working-class
- Trivial
- Nonexclusive
- Unkempt
- Ill groomed
- Sloppy
- Below average
- Worthless
- Plain
- No frills
- Urban
- Rubbishy
- Below standard
- Grungy
- Barebones
- Wretched
How Can You Use Posh in a Sentence?
Our word of the day means smart, fashionable, and expensive — but do you know how to use it in a sentence? Not to worry; we’ve compiled a list of sentence examples for you to review and practice below:
“Wow, you look unbelievably posh in your new suit!”
“The man from India had a very posh accent.”
“Did you know that slang posh was once thought of as an acronym for port out, starboard home?”
“Sally’s posh yacht was a very lavish boat that she frequently used for vacation destinations.”
“I bought a posh bag at the mall yesterday to complete my sophistic look.”
“I heard that he word posh is pretty popular in the United Kingdom.”
“My hubby took me to a really posh restaurant on Valentine’s Day before surprising me with a trip to a very posh hotel”
“The Johnsons live in a very posh neighborhood that is unfortunately full of very stuck-up and snobbish people.”
“While it’s true that there’s a place in my heart for the entire Spice Girl squad, there’s something about Posh Spice that makes me like her the most.”
“After reviewing Becca’s posh sense of style, the brand asked her to model their upcoming collection.”
“The women demanded a very posh haircut from the hair stylist.”
“While the new cafe is posh, everything listed on the menu is a little too expensive for my blood.”
“If you’re looking to order truffles and caviar, you may want to consider going to a posh restaurant as opposed to a tiny diner.”
What Are Translations of Posh?
When it boils down to knowledge, ideas, and the spread of information — translation is necessary. With this in mind, here are some of the top translations of posh from around the world:
- Chinese (Traditional) — 高檔的，一流的, （人或口音）上流社會的, 談吐高雅的
- Spanish — de lujo, pijo, de clase alta
- Japanese — 高級な, しゃれた, 上品な
- Russian — шикарный, аристократический
- Portuguese — chique, luxuoso, rico
- Turkish — şık, lüks, pahalı ve gösterişli
- French — chic
- Korean — 호화로운, 상류층의
- German — pikfein
- Malay — mewah dan anggun
- Ukrainian — шикарний
- Catalan — de luxe, de classe alta
- Arabic — مُرَفّه, راقٍ
- Czech — nóbl, prima
- Norwegian — fjong, overklasse
- Danish — fornem
- Indonesian — kelas tinggi
- Italian — elegante, di gran classe, snob
- Thai — หรูหรา
- Vietnamese — bảnh bao
- Polish — elegancki, dystyngowany, arystokratyczny
Conclusion
Sure, posh may be the name of a beloved Spice Girl, but our word of the day is much more than just a famous moniker.
Defined as elegant or stylishly luxurious, the term posh is mainly British, but is used all over the globe. Whether you’re looking to describe something that’s fancy or a person with great sense of fashion, the word posh would be an acceptable choice of words.
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