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.
“You don’t even know how to wipe your own butt,” he sings, “you maybe only know the names of like 30 weird Pokemon guys.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026
He believes people often only realise the value of cards after cataloguing them, adding: "My friend who is a big Pokemon collector, his account came out at about £100,000."
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
Pokemon is a Japanese franchise, focused on capturing, training, and battling super-powered creatures.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
The basic premise of Pokemon, inspired by the Japanese summer childhood tradition of bug-collecting, is to catch and train in battle hundreds of round-eyed "pocket monsters".
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
On Monday morning I got to school early, so I went to the drinking fountain to play Pokemon, but right when I got there, everyone got up and left.
From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
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.
