poker

1 of 2

noun (1)

pok·​er ˈpō-kər How to pronounce poker (audio)
: one that pokes
especially : a metal rod for stirring a fire

poker

2 of 2

noun (2)

po·​ker ˈpō-kər How to pronounce poker (audio)
: any of several card games in which a player bets that the value of his or her hand is greater than that of the hands held by others, in which each subsequent player must either equal or raise the bet or drop out, and in which the player holding the highest hand at the end of the betting wins the pot

Illustration of poker

Illustration of poker
  • 1 five of a kind
  • 2 royal flush
  • 3 straight flush
  • 4 four of a kind
  • 5 full house
  • 6 flush
  • 7 straight
  • 8 three of a kind
  • 9 two pair
  • 10 one pair

Examples of poker in a Sentence

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.
Noun
The couple first sparked dating rumors in 2023 and were most recently photographed together at a Cartier pre-Oscars poker event. Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025 When The New Yorker was just a few months old, Ross almost even lost it entirely one night in a drunken poker game at the home of Pulitzer Prize winner and Round Table regular Herbert Bayard Swope. Christopher B. Daly, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025 Eight species and varieties of red hot poker are available at nurseries supplied by smgrowers.com. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 6 Feb. 2025 In 2020, Just and her daughter Juliette launched the Poker Power platform to teach women and girls how to play the game, and how to use the lessons from poker to succeed professionally. Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poker

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

probably modification of French poque, a card game similar to poker

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1534, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poker was in 1534

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Poker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poker. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

poker

1 of 2 noun
pok·​er ˈpō-kər How to pronounce poker (audio)
: one that pokes
especially : a metal rod for stirring a fire

poker

2 of 2 noun
po·​ker ˈpō-kər How to pronounce poker (audio)
: a card game in which a player bets on the value of his or her hand

More from Merriam-Webster on poker

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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