pod

1 of 6

noun (1)

ˈpäd 

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

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• armor
• capsule
• case
• casing
• cocoon
• cover
• covering
• encasement
• housing
• hull
• husk
• jacket
• sheath
• shell

Examples of pod in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a fuel pod

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Green cardamom pods: Sweeter in flavor than black cardamom, green cardamom pods add a warm, citrusy flavor to the syrup. —Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2024

For best results, store dishwasher pods in a cool and dry place and inside an airtight storage container. —Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Oct. 2024

Noun

The botanical architecture team at Applied Imagination in Alexandria, Kentucky, created the scenes from tree bark, pine cones, seed pods and other natural materials. —Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024

Smaller companies simply don’t have the resources to offer their employees beer carts, nap pods and unlimited time off. —Christine Y. Cruzvergara, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

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

Phrases Containing pod

• pod corn
• seed pod
• two peas in a pod

Kids Definition

pod

1 of 2 noun

ˈpäd 

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