Standard Lemma guide

pouch

noun · verb · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /paʊt͡ʃ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aʊtʃ
  • CMU ARPABET: P AW1 CH Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A small bag usually closed with a drawstring.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An organic pocket in which a marsupial carries its young.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: marsupium

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Any pocket or bag-shaped object, such as a cheek pouch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A protuberant belly; a paunch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, derogatory, slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A cyst or sac containing fluid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A silicle, or short pod, as of the shepherd's purse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A bulkhead in the hold of a vessel, to prevent grain etc. from shifting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To enclose within a pouch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The beggar pouched the coin.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To transport within a pouch, especially a diplomatic pouch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • We pouched the encryption device to our embassy in Beijing.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To swallow.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To pout.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To pocket; to put up with.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

a small or medium size container for holding or carrying things

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bag

Narrower terms: mailbag, mail pouch, pocket, sporran, tobacco pouch, waist pack, belt bag

14

noun

Meaning 14

(anatomy) saclike structure in any of various animals (as a marsupial or gopher or pelican)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pocket

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sac

Narrower terms: gizzard, ventriculus, gastric mill, utricle, utriculus, auricle, atrial auricle, auricula atrii, auricula, auricular appendage, auricular appendix, cheek pouch, marsupium, scrotum

15

noun

Meaning 15

an enclosed space

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the trapped miners found a pocket of air

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sac, sack, pocket

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cavity, enclosed space

16

verb

Meaning 16

swell or protrude outwards

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • His stomach bulged after the huge meal

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bulge, protrude

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change shape, change form, deform

Narrower terms: bulk

17

verb

Meaning 17

send by special mail that goes through diplomatic channels

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mail, get off

18

verb

Meaning 18

put into a small bag

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bag

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *puhô Frankish *pokōbor. Old French puche Old Northern French pouchebor. Middle English pouche English pouch From Middle English pouche, poche, borrowed from Old Northern French pouche, from Old French poche, puche (whence French poche; compare also the Anglo-Norman variant poke), of Germanic origin: from Frankish *poka (“pouch”) (compare Middle Dutch poke, Old English pohha, dialectal German Pfoch). Doublet of poke; compare pocket.

Across languages

Translations

109 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: քսակ (kʻsak) — small bag
  • Bashkir: янсыҡ (yansıq) — small bag
  • Bashkir: тоҡсай (toqsay) — small bag
  • Bulgarian: торби́чка (torbíčka) — small bag
  • Bulgarian: кеси́я (kesíja) — small bag
  • Chinese Mandarin: 囊 (náng) — small bag
  • Chinese Mandarin: 袋 (dài) — small bag
  • Czech: vak — small bag
  • Czech: váček — small bag
  • Esperanto: saketo — small bag
  • Finnish: pussi — small bag
  • Finnish: pussukka — small bag
  • French: sachet — small bag
  • French: petit sac — small bag
  • French: blague à tabac — small bag
  • French: étui à munitions — small bag
  • French: giberne — small bag
  • French: sac postal — small bag
  • French: bourse — small bag
  • French: poche — small bag
  • French: pochon — small bag
  • French: besace — small bag
  • Galician: argán — small bag
  • Galician: dobrer — small bag
  • Galician: boria — small bag
  • Galician: badaza — small bag
  • Galician: barxoleta — small bag
  • Galician: besa — small bag
  • Galician: burchaca — small bag
  • Galician: cartafol — small bag
  • Galician: bucha — small bag
  • Galician: taleiga — small bag
  • German: Beutel — small bag
  • Greek: σακούλα (sakoúla) — small bag
  • Ancient Greek: βαλλάντιον (ballántion) — small bag
  • Ancient Greek: μάρσιππος (mársippos) — small bag
  • Hindi: थैली (thailī) — small bag
  • Hindi: थैला (thailā) — small bag
  • Hungarian: erszény — small bag
  • Irish: tiachóg — small bag
  • Italian: sacchetto — small bag
  • Japanese: 袋 (fukuro) — small bag
  • Latin: marsūpium — small bag
  • Latin: sacculus — small bag
  • Macedonian: то́рбичка (tórbička) — small bag
  • Macedonian: ќе́се (ḱése) — small bag
  • Nivkh: ӿонтӄ (hontq) — small bag
  • Norwegian: pung — small bag
  • Occitan: saquet — small bag
  • Old English: ceod — small bag
  • Plautdietsch: Biedel — small bag
  • Polish: sakiewka — small bag
  • Polish: sakwa — small bag
  • Polish: saszetka — small bag
  • Portuguese: bolsa — small bag
  • Portuguese: malote — small bag
  • Romanian: punguță — small bag
  • Romanian: săculeț — small bag
  • Romanian: trăistuță — small bag
  • Russian: су́мка (súmka) — small bag
  • Russian: мешо́чек (mešóček) — small bag
  • Russian: мешо́к (mešók) — small bag
  • Scottish Gaelic: sporan — small bag
  • Sinhalese: මඩිස්සලය (maḍissalaya) — small bag
  • Spanish: bolsa — small bag
  • Spanish: saquito — small bag
  • Spanish: valija — small bag
  • Spanish: petaca — small bag
  • Spanish: cartapacio — small bag
  • Spanish: bolsita — small bag
  • Tagalog: lukbot — small bag
  • Tamil: பை (pai) — small bag
  • Turkish: poşet — small bag
  • Ottoman Turkish: چانطه (çanta) — small bag
  • Ukrainian: торби́нка (torbýnka) — small bag
  • Ukrainian: міше́чок (mišéčok) — small bag
  • Albanian: trastë — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Armenian: քսակ (kʻsak) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Bulgarian: торба́ (torbá) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Catalan: marsupi — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Chinese Mandarin: 育兒袋 /育儿袋 (yù'érdài) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Czech: vak — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Esperanto: marsupio — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Finnish: pussi — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • French: poche — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • French: marsupium — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • French: mastothèque — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • German: Beutel — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Greek: μάρσιπος (mársipos) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Hindi: थैली (thailī) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Hungarian: erszény — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Macedonian: то́рба (tórba) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Macedonian: џеб (džeb) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Norwegian: pung — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Portuguese: bolsa — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Romanian: marsupiu — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Russian: су́мка (súmka) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Spanish: marsupio — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Spanish: bolsa marsupial — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Swedish: pung — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Tagalog: lukbot — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Tamil: பை (pai) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Turkish: kese — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Ukrainian: су́мка (súmka) — pocket in which a marsupial carries its young
  • Bulgarian: прибирам в торба (pribiram v torba) — to enclose in a pouch
  • Finnish: pussittaa — to enclose in a pouch
  • Macedonian: ста́ви во то́рба (stávi vo tórba) — to enclose in a pouch
  • Finnish: lähettää kuriirilla — to transport in a diplomatic pouch
  • Finnish: lähettää kuriiripostissa — to transport in a diplomatic pouch