posh

 
Pronunciation: /pɒʃ/
informal

adjective

  • elegant or stylishly luxurious: a posh hotel I’ll have to look posh
  • British typical of or belonging to the upper class: she had a posh accent

adverb

British
  • in an upper-class way: trying to talk posh

noun

[mass noun] British
  • the quality of being elegant, stylish, or upper class: we finally bought a colour TV, which seemed the height of posh

verb

[with object] (posh someone/thing up) British
  • smarten someone or something up: we will be getting all poshed up for the company summer ball

Derivatives

poshly

adverb

poshness

noun

Origin:

early 20th century: perhaps from slang posh, denoting a dandy. There is no evidence to support the folk etymology that posh is formed from the initials of port out starboard home (referring to the more comfortable accommodation, out of the heat of the sun, on ships between England and India)