Etymology

poach

P3O1A1C3H4

Today it means: To cook (something) in simmering or very hot liquid (usually water; sometimes wine, broth, or otherwise). Full definition →

Middle English pochen ← Old French pocher
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poach · verb, noun1

  1. Old French · derived frompoche“pocket”
  2. Old French · derived frompocher
  3. Middle English · derived frompochen“to poach (eggs)”
  4. English todaypoach

From Middle English pochen (“to poach (eggs)”), from Old French pocher "to put (egg yolks) in pockets" (i.e. in bags formed by the whites), from Old French poche (“pocket”).

poach · verb, noun2

  1. Old French · derived frompocher
  2. English todaypoach

From Old French pocher, pochier (“to trample, poach into”). Doublet of poke.

Words from the same roots

Old Frenchpocher all →

potch

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.