POA Meaning: Here’s What It Means and How To Use It

There are so many useful acronyms in the English language. Acronyms allow us to say longer phrases with just a few short letters, saving us time in our speech, but especially in our writing, emails, texts, and so on. 

POA is one of those acronyms or abbreviations. However, like so many acronyms, POA can stand for several different things that aren’t necessarily related. In cases like this, you must understand all the potential meanings of the acronym so you can have clarity and understanding. 

So, today’s word of the day is POA. By the end of this short guide, you’ll have a solid understanding of the word POA, its definitions, its etymology, and how to use it. 

Let’s get started. 

What Is the Meaning of the Word POA?

Again, there are several different definitions for the word POA. Here is a quick breakdown of each of the abbreviations for POA and what they all mean. 

• Point of action: a next step or action item in a plan, an action you can take to further a goal
• Plan of action: a general strategy for how something is going to get accomplished
• Power of attorney: an agreement that allows somebody to make decisions or actions in a person’s place, particularly in business or medicine
• Price on application/asking: the buyer must contact the seller to find out the price, particularly in real estate
• Portable object adapter: in computer science, a piece of the CORBA model that allows programmers to make servants that can go between different ORB implementations

With five different definitions for this simple, three-letter acronym, it can be easy to get confused. So let’s briefly break down some of the more common among these definitions. 

Point and Plan of Action

Point of action and plan of action are probably the most commonly used among these definitions. They are often used in social media, and these terms are also commonly used in corporate jargon. 

These terms are relatively simple and also versatile. You can use them in a variety of situations: as a leader of a meeting, as an employee asking a question, as a political activist looking for next steps, and so on. 

Power of Attorney

This is probably the most complex definition on the list because of the legal and medical implications it has. Power of attorney is an integral part of business, medicine, and finances. Here’s a brief breakdown of how it works. 

POA is an agreement between two people or groups of people. The first person is called the “principal,” and the second person is called the “attorney in fact.” In a POA agreement, the principal gives the attorney in fact legal permission to act on their behalf. 

This agreement is created with a signed legal document. It allows the attorney to make financial transactions, manage bank accounts, conduct estate planning, and perform other important duties. Often, the attorney in fact is a trusted family member or advisor. 

There is another type of POA called durable POA. A normal POA ends when the principal dies or becomes incapable of making their own decisions. A durable power of attorney persists after that until an agreed-upon time. This type of financial POA allows the attorney to conduct the financial affairs and other decisions of a person even after the principal’s death. 

POA is also important in a healthcare context, although it means something slightly different in this case. POA, in this case, is given to the attorney in fact when the principal has the incapacity of making medical or treatment decisions for themselves. 

This is most common in cases where somebody goes into a coma and is on life support. Often, a person’s loved ones will be given POA to determine what course of action the healthcare providers are allowed to take. 

Price on Asking

Price on asking, or price on application, has a relatively simple meaning. This simply means that to find out what the selling or renting price of a home is, the buyer or renter must contact the seller or landlord. 

Where Did the Word POA Come From?

To help bring more clarity to the definition of POA, let’s look at the history of how it came to be, or its etymology.

What Are Some Examples of the Word POA in a Sentence?

Seeing a word in context can help bring more clarity to its definition and how you can use it in your own life. Here are some example sentences that use the word POA for the different definitions.

Point of Action in a Sentence

• Alright, we’ve discussed the fact that we need to ramp up production, but what’s our first POA?
  
• You’ve been so vague in your vision-casting. Just give me a POA that I can do today.
• By the end of the meeting, each of you should have several POAs that we need to be done by the end of the week. 

Power of Attorney in a Sentence

• Yes, I’ve given Carmen POA, so she can make those financial decisions for me. 
• I believe the verbiage on the POA document says that you can manage any of my bank accounts on my behalf.
• POA gives me the legal authority to act on her behalf.
• I was given POA, and I decided to continue treatment, even though recovery looks next to impossible. 

Price on Asking in a Sentence

• That listing has POA in the description, which means it could be pretty expensive.
• We can’t find the listing price anywhere because it’s POA, so I’m calling the real estate agent right away. 

A Final Word on POA

Now you know everything you need to know about the word POA, including its multiple definitions and uses. You can use this word in multiple ways in your writing.

Sources:

An Overview of the CORBA Portable Object Adapter 1 Introduction 2 CORBA Architecture | Vanderbilt University

Power of attorney | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute | Cornell University

About: Price on application | DBpedia