noun
poise
poyz
noun
1
A calm, self-assured manner; composure under pressure.
"She answered the hostile questions with remarkable poise."
"Years of stage experience gave him poise in front of a camera."
2
A state of balance or equilibrium.
"The dancer held her poise on one foot for several seconds."
verb
1
To hold something balanced and ready, or to hang suspended.
"The hawk poised in the air before diving."
"She poised the pen above the paper, unsure what to write."
How to Use Poise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCalm, graceful self-control, or the physical balance that gives rise to it.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "poised" the adjective (ready/about to do something) — "poise" itself is usually the noun for composure.
Common pairings
with poise
poise and confidence
poised in the air
Word Forms
poised past tense, poises plural, poises plural, poises singular
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Etymology
From Old French pois/poise ("weight"), from Latin pendere, "to weigh." The sense shifted from literal weighing to the modern idea of graceful balance.