poker

¹ American  

[poh-ker] / ˈpoʊ kər /

noun

1. a person or thing that pokes.

2. a metal rod for poking or stirring a fire.

---

poker ² American  

[poh-ker] / ˈpoʊ kər /

noun

1. a card game played by two or more persons, in which the players bet on the value of their hands, the winner taking the pool.

---

poker ¹ British  

/ ˈpəʊkə /

noun

1. a metal rod, usually with a handle, for stirring a fire

2. a person or thing that pokes

---

poker ² British  

/ ˈpəʊkə /

noun

1. a card game of bluff and skill in which bets are made on the hands dealt, the highest-ranking hand (containing the most valuable combinations of sequences and sets of cards) winning the pool

---

poker Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing poker

• stiff as a board (poker)

---

Etymology

Origin of poker¹

First recorded in 1525–35; poke ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of poker²

1825–35, perhaps originally braggart, bluffer; compare Middle Low German poken to brag, play, Middle Dutch poken to bluff, brag

Explanation

Poker is a card game that involves betting with chips and keeping a straight face. You can also play poker online and make any kind of face you want. Additionally, a poker is a tool you keep by a fireplace. Two or more people with a deck of cards can play poker, which has many variations. Some poker games involve several rounds of betting, discarding, and being dealt new cards. Having a "poker face" means remaining expressionless, as if you were hiding the fact that you've got a winning hand of cards. A completely different kind of poker is the long metal fireplace tool that you use to stir up the fire, also called a fire iron.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

poker

"They're good poker players, but they're dying," he was quoted as saying.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

The prosecution of Thomas Goldstein, co-founder of SCOTUSblog, delved into his double-life as high-stakes poker player.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

While prosecutors alleged he raked in roughly $50 million in poker winnings in 2016 alone, Goldstein estimated that he ultimately lost about $10 million through the peaks and valleys of his gambling.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Whitehead, an enthusiastic amateur poker player, wrote the nonfiction book “The Noble Hustle” about his entry into the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

It’s like everyone in New York is afraid they’re going to be caught cheating at poker.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle