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vest-pocket

American  
[vest-pok-it] / ˈvɛstˌpɒk ɪt /

adjective

  1. designed to be carried in the pocket of the vest, in a purse, or in a similarly small space; miniature.

    a vest-pocket dictionary.

  2. very small.

    a vest-pocket version of Versailles.


vest-pocket British  

noun

  1. (modifier) small enough to fit into a waistcoat pocket

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of vest-pocket

First recorded in 1910–15

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.

His art, recently celebrated in landmark exhibitions that brought together almost all of his surviving works, also invites contemplation in intimate, vest-pocket shows that allow more intimate contact with the painter’s stunning pictorial intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

It’s a warm midafternoon in the vest-pocket piece of Beverly Hills greenery known as Will Rogers Memorial Park.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2021

The vest-pocket park sits to the west of Buttermilk Park at the tail end of Wilks Avenue.

From Washington Times • Mar. 22, 2017

He tells a vest-pocket history of his career.

From New York Times • May 27, 2016

He restricted his vest-pocket empire of worn, exotic clothing, false perfumes, and cheap jewelry to those places.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez