Poke

In Southern and Appalachian speech, "poke" means a bag or sack, usually for groceries or other goods.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #Southern

synonyms: sack, bag, tote, bundle

Hillbilly Dude Says...

My neighbor from across the mountain use "poke,' but we never did. So it may be more regional.

Pronunciation

[POHK] /poʊk/

Meaning & Usage

- A bag or sack (noun)

Hazel:

What’d you get at the store?

Earl:

Just a poke of flour and a poke of sugar.

variations: pouch, sack, bag

★ The old saying "pig in a poke" comes from this same word - warning folks not to buy something sight unseen. ★

Origin

From Middle English pok, meaning bag, carried into Scots-Irish speech and brought to Appalachia by early settlers. Documented in the American South by the 18th century, "poke" became the everyday country word for a sack or bag.

Notes

Still heard in Appalachia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Deep South.
Most common among older generations; younger speakers are more likely to just say "bag."
Appears in proverbs and folk sayings like "pig in a poke."

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Common Questions

What does "poke" mean in the South?

It means a bag or sack, especially for groceries.

Is "poke" still used today?

Yes, though mainly by older generations in Appalachia and the South.

Where did the word come from?

From Middle English "pok," carried into Scots-Irish speech, then into Appalachian dialect.

What about "pig in a poke"?

That’s an old proverb using the same word - warning against buying something without examining it.