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Pokémon

American  
[poh-kee-mahn, ‐key‐] / ˈpoʊ kiˌmɑn, ‐keɪ‐ /
Trademark.
  1. a media franchise including video games, animated television series, movies, card games, etc. that depict a fictional class of pet monsters and their trainers.

  2. 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.

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

Last year at its annual meeting, GameStop said it was expanding its own collectibles business, including sports and Pokémon trading cards.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 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

He has personally brokered Pokémon sales worth over £2m, including an £84,000 Pokémon Trainer, a £442,800 Charizard and an £832,000 Pikachu Illustrator.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

On this particular every-other-Saturday, Axel is already deep into imagining today’s Pokémon game when he hears the rumble of tires on gravel, all the way down the driveway.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers

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