pod

1 of 6

noun (1)

plural pods
1
: an elongated dry fruit that develops from one or more carpels of a flower, splits open along a seam, and contains seeds that may be attached to the wall of the pod : seedpod
especially : the pod of a plant (such as a pea or bean) of the legume family : legume sense 1a
2
a
: an anatomical pouch
b
: a grasshopper egg case
3
: a tapered and roughly cylindrical body of ore or mineral
4
: a usually protective container or housing: such as
a
: a streamlined compartment (as for fuel) under the wings or fuselage of an aircraft
b
: a compartment (as for personnel, a power unit, or an instrument) on a ship or craft

pod

2 of 6

verb

podded; podding; pods

intransitive verb

: to produce pods
The peas are podding.

pod

3 of 6

noun (2)

plural pods
1
: a number of animals (such as whales) clustered together
To me, an encounter with a pod of killer whales in its natural habitat is an experience that ranks right up there with seeing Niagara Falls for the first time …Joseph Kula
… a pod of 200 spinner dolphins performs aerial antics in the lagoon, turning like tops in the air.Jerry Camarillo Dunn Jr.
The feeding chuckle is used to simulate the sound made by a large pod of feeding ducks.Mike Beno
2
: a usually small group of people (such as family members, friends, coworkers, or classmates) who regularly interact closely with one another but with few or no others in order to minimize exposure and reduce the transmission of infection during an outbreak of a contagious disease : bubble entry 1 sense 7b
If you're planning to celebrate with close family or friends who aren't in your quarantine pod, there are a few ways to make sure your gathering is safe for everyone.Kelly Vaughan
You can … share a beer tent you built in your backyard with your pandemic pod or even have a neighborhood street party with everyone in their own front yards.PR Newswire
… oversaw the engineering of new processes … with … employees working in pods so if someone became ill, only that group was affected.Joanna Pachner
For example, students are broken up into pods throughout the day and in classrooms so if there is a COVID-19 case, it's easier for the school to contact trace and know who to keep home.Ryan Nickerson
Pods—a homeschooling option that puts students together in small groups as a way to share remote learning supervision and child care duties between their respective families—have caught on across the U.S. as school districts move classes online amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Erin Udell

pod

4 of 6

noun (3)

plural pods
1
: a bit socket in a brace
2
: a straight groove or channel in the barrel of an auger

POD

5 of 6

abbreviation

1
payable on death
2
pay on delivery

-pod

6 of 6

noun combining form

: foot : part resembling a foot
pleopod

Examples of pod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Four? Lauren Goode: Yeah. Michael Calore: Four Nespresso pods … Lauren Goode: A day. Michael Calore, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2023 Couples who pod together get divorced together. Damian and Giannina, Season 1 After a connection in the pods fostered a sweet double proposal (and a horny start in Mexico), Damian and Giannina quickly devolved into one of the most volatile couples in the bunch. Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2023 Then, during the pandemic and Pacheco's pregnancy, her father, Armando, also moved in to pod with them. Erin Bried, Parents, 19 Aug. 2023 As okra pods ripen and watermelons sweetens in the sun, tomatoes turn juicy—ready for their debut in the essential Southern tomato pie. Marian Cooper Cairns, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2023 For the best results, choose fresh okra pods no longer than 4 inches in length. Virginia Willis, Southern Living, 12 July 2023 Add one pound of whole okra pods, and boil until the okra is tender, about 10 minutes. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 12 July 2023 The sensor pods in the truck contain lidar, radar and cameras. Alexandra Skores, Dallas News, 29 June 2023 Couples who pod together get divorced together. Damian and Giannina, Season 1 After a connection in the pods fostered a sweet double proposal (and a horny start in Mexico), Damian and Giannina quickly devolved into one of the most volatile couples in the bunch. Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2023
Noun
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a single Juul pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes. The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 Read Next: Watch: Shark Drags Fisherman Overboard in Florida Everglades Only 10 or 15 feet off Glasner’s port-side bow, the water erupts into a churning froth as the pod of six or more sharks fight over the half-eaten snapper. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024 Five couples got engaged after meeting in the pods, with three of them still together in the latest episode that aired on Feb. 28. USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024 The young single mother from Charlotte, North Carolina, ended up getting her heart broken in the pods by castmate Jimmy Presnell during their final date. Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2024 In addition, many other accessories come with this play kitchen for toddlers, such as condiment bottles, utensils, cups, coffee pods, and more, to add to the kitchen experience. Katrina Cossey, Parents, 1 Mar. 2024 Netflix’s mega-hit dating show Love is Blind is back— with viewers once again fascinated with the love-seekers in the pods. Lea Lane, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Then Paul entered the match after several minutes of writing messages on the glass pod using his finger and his breath. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 These lovebirds were the first to get engaged in the pods, and their journey has been (mostly) smooth sailing. Glamour, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pod.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably alteration of cod bag — more at codpiece

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

origin unknown

Noun combining form

Greek -podos, from pod-, pous foot — more at foot

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1678, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pod was in 1553

Dictionary Entries Near pod

Cite this Entry

“Pod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pod. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pod

1 of 2 noun
1
: a fruit that is dry when ripe and then splits open to free its seeds
especially : legume sense 2
2
: any of various natural protective coverings (as a cocoon) or cases (as for grasshopper eggs)
3
: a streamlined compartment under the wings or body of an airplane used as a container (as for fuel or a jet engine)

pod

2 of 2 noun
: a number of animals (as whales) clustered together

Medical Definition

POD

abbreviation
postoperative day

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