What does "posh" mean?
"Posh" means upper-class, expensive, or fancy. Here's how British people use this word and the class associations it carries.
What it means
Upper-class, expensive, elegant, or associated with wealth and privilege - depending on context.
"She went to a really posh school." (expensive, elite)
"This restaurant is a bit too posh for me." (fancy, upmarket)
"He talks in a very posh accent." (received pronunciation, upper-class sound)
"They live in a posh part of London." (affluent area)
The class dimension
In Britain, posh is deeply tied to the class system. A "posh" accent (received pronunciation, or RP) signals private education and upper-middle or upper-class background. This matters in ways that are hard to explain to outsiders.
Can be used positively or negatively
- Positive: "We treated ourselves to something posh for the anniversary."
- Critical: "It's a bit posh for what it is." (overpriced or pretentious)
- Teasing: "Oh, very posh!" (said when someone does something unusually fancy)
A native would say
- "Upmarket" - neutral: "an upmarket restaurant"
- "Fancy" - less class-specific
- "Swanky" - informal, usually positive
- "Stuck-up" - when the criticism is about attitude, not just wealth
What does "posh" mean?
Upper-class, expensive, elegant, or associated with wealth and privilege - depending on context.
"She went to a really posh school." (expensive, elite)
"This restaurant is a bit too posh for me." (fancy, upmarket)
"He talks in a very posh accent." (received pronunciation, upper-class sound)
"They live in a posh part of London." (affluent area)
What's another way to say "posh"?
- "Upmarket" - neutral: "an upmarket restaurant"
- "Fancy" - less class-specific
- "Swanky" - informal, usually positive
- "Stuck-up" - when the criticism is about attitude, not just wealth
More British slang throwing you off?
LLH Tutor breaks down British expressions like this one so you're never guessing what a colleague or friend actually meant.
Save to your vocabulary