poky

[ poh-kee ]

adjective

, Informal.

, pok·i·er, pok·i·est.

1. moving or acting slowly or ineffectively; slow; dull:

   poky drivers.

2. (of a place) small and cramped:

   a poky little room.

3. (of dress) dowdy.

poky

/ ˈpəʊkɪ /

adjective

1. informal.
   (esp of rooms) small and cramped
2. without speed or energy; slow

noun

1. the poky slang.
   prison

Derived Forms

• ˈpokiness, noun
• ˈpokily, adverb

Other Words From

• poki·ly adverb
• poki·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of poky¹

First recorded in 1825–30; poke ¹ + -y ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of poky¹

C19: from poke ¹(in slang sense: to confine)

Example Sentences

Experts say there’s nothing amiss in the district beyond California’s typically poky counting speeds and what’s known as the “red mirage” or the “blue shift.”

From Los Angeles Times

Today, Australia is home to roughly 0.33% of the world's population, but a fifth of all “pokies”- the colloquial term used for the machines.

From BBC

Leaving infrastructure work to the marketplace is how America wound up with so many embarrassing airports, shaky bridges and poky, increasingly dangerous trains.

From Salon

That’s not very comforting to folks stuck in a long line on an entrance ramp, waiting for the privilege of heading down the highway more pokily than they could jog.

From Los Angeles Times

Driving this are electronic poker machines, or slot machines - known colloquially here as the pokies.

From BBC