poach

1 of 2

verb (1)

poached; poaching; poaches

transitive verb

: to cook in simmering liquid

poach

2 of 2

verb (2)

poached; poaching; poaches

intransitive verb

1
: to encroach upon especially for the purpose of taking something
2
: to trespass for the purpose of stealing game
also : to take game or fish illegally

transitive verb

1
: to trespass on
a field poached too frequently by the amateurThe Times Literary Supplement (London)
2
a
: to take (game or fish) by illegal methods
b
: to appropriate (something) as one's own
c
: to attract (someone, such as an employee or customer) away from a competitor

Examples of poach in a Sentence

Verb (1) poaching fish in a stock flavored with white wine
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Zuckerberg’s poaching spree is just the high-stakes version of a much older human truth: transformation is easier to imagine when someone close has already blazed the trail. Ellen Choi, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 In general, sturgeon aquaculture is a positive solution to poaching, Jahrl and Friedrich said. Kylie Williams, Miami Herald, 29 June 2025 In Hispanic America as a whole, a 2024 report documented a total of 1,945 seizures and poaching incidents highlighted by media between 2017 and 2022, impacting at least 102,577 wild animals. Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 26 June 2025 The Miami Hurricanes added one of the nation’s top wide receivers to their 2026 recruiting class on Monday, poaching him from a top SEC program. Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for poach

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English pocchen, from Middle French pocher, from Old French poché poached, literally, bagged, from poche bag, pocket — more at pouch

Verb (2)

Middle French pocher, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle English poken to poke

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1611, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of poach was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Poach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poach. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

poach

1 of 2 verb
: to cook in simmering liquid
poached eggs

poach

2 of 2 verb
: to hunt or fish unlawfully
poacher noun
Etymology

Verb

Middle English pochen "to boil an egg without its shell so that the white covers the yolk like a bag," from early French pocher (same meaning), from earlier pochier, literally, "to put into a bag," from poche "bag, pocket"

Verb

from early French pocher "to hunt or fish unlawfully"

More from Merriam-Webster on poach

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!