noun
Common
po
poh
Po (noun) means a chamber pot. Example: “In the museum's Victorian bedroom, a china po sat beside the bed.”
noun
1
A chamber pot.
"In the museum's Victorian bedroom, a china po sat beside the bed."
"Before indoor toilets, many families kept a po in each bedroom."
"The old cottage still had a po tucked under the bed."
2
Informal British slang for the police.
"The po turned up within minutes of the noisy argument outside the pub."
"He ran off when he saw the po coming down the road."
"Someone tipped off the po about the party."
How to use po
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dated word for a chamber pot, or informal slang for the police.
When to use it
Both senses are informal/dated; not common in everyday modern speech.
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Word forms
- Plural
- pos
Fill the gap
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In the museum's Victorian bedroom, a china _____ sat beside the bed.
Etymology
Came from Middle English po (also found in pocock), from Old English pāwa or pēa (“peacock”), from Proto-Germanic *pāwô (“peacock”), from Latin pāvō. Cognate with Dutch pauw and German Pfau. See also peacock.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “po” mean?
The word “po” means a chamber pot. In plain terms, a dated word for a chamber pot, or informal slang for the police.
How do you pronounce “po”?
“Po” is pronounced poh (/pəʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “po” in a sentence?
Here is “po” used in a sentence: “The old cottage still had a po tucked under the bed.”
What part of speech is “po”?
“Po” is a noun.
Is “po” a common word?
“Po” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “po” have?
“Po” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a chamber pot.
Is the word po formal or informal?
Both senses of "po" are informal. The chamber-pot meaning is dated and chiefly British, while its use to mean the police is slang, so neither belongs in formal writing.
What is the difference between a po and a chamber pot?
They mean the same thing: "po" is simply an informal, old-fashioned British word for a chamber pot, a bowl kept in the bedroom for use as a toilet. "Chamber pot" is the fuller, more neutral term.
What is the difference between a po and a potty?
A "po" is an old-fashioned British word for a chamber pot used by adults, while a "potty" more often refers to a small pot used to toilet-train young children. The two overlap, but potty is the word usually linked with children.
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