Pokémon
American-
a media franchise including video games, animated television series, movies, card games, etc. that depict a fictional class of pet monsters and their trainers.
-
a pet monster in this fictional world.
Etymology
Origin of Pokémon
1995–2000; shortening of Japanese Poketto Monsutā , itself a loan translation of English pocket monsters
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Since then, lacking a routine, she has grown bored, she said, and has cut back on small luxuries such as buying Pokémon cards.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026
Games that have just been released, like Pokémon Pokopia and Tomodachi Life have received positive online attention, and sales are strong.
From Barron's • May 8, 2026
Ghibli and Pokémon iconography may be broadly recognizable, but Lego’s appeal, represented by its zillions of plastic blocks and many movies and TV series, transcends nations.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
Pokémon cards have been collected and traded for 30 years but since Covid, they have attracted more attention online, with some of the rarest selling for huge sums.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
But I wasn’t into Pokémon, and I definitely didn’t want to get stared at again if we all went out somewhere.
From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
