pig in a poke

noun

Something whose true value is concealed or unknown and may be lower than expected by the buyer or claimed by the seller, especially something offered for sale.

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Meanings

nounpig in a poke (plural pigs in a poke or pigs in pokes)

plural pigs in a poke · plural pigs in pokes

  1. idiomaticSomething whose true value is concealed or unknown and may be lower than expected by the buyer or claimed by the seller, especially something offered for sale.

Origin

Reportedly from the practice of substituting a butchered cat, etc. for a suckling pig when sold in a sack at a market. Other theories circulate but all involve the purchase of a cat in a bag, where the buyer expected better. poke refers to a bag or sack, and is related to pouch.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech zajíc v pytli
  • zajíc v pytlisomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Dutch een kat in de zak kopen
  • een kat in de zak kopensomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Estonian siga kotis
  • siga kotissomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Finnish sika säkissä
  • sika säkissäsomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
French acheter chat en poche
  • acheter chat en pochesomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
German Katze im Sack
  • Katze im Sacksomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Hebrew חתול בשק
  • חתול בשקsomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Hungarian zsákbamacska
  • zsákbamacskasomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Icelandic kötturinn í sekknum
  • kötturinn í sekknumsomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Indonesian kucing dalam karung
  • kucing dalam karungsomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Japanese 衝動買い
  • 衝動買い (shōdōgai)something whose true value is concealed or unknown
Latvian kaķis maisā, cūka maisā
  • kaķis maisāsomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
  • cūka maisāsomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Norwegian katten i sekken
  • katten i sekkensomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Polish kot w worku
  • kot w workusomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Portuguese nabos em saco
  • nabos em sacosomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Spanish dar gato por liebre
  • dar gato por liebresomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Swedish grisen i säcken
  • grisen i säckensomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Welsh prynu cath mewn cwd
  • prynu cath mewn cwdsomething whose true value is concealed or unknown
Cite this entry
APA

pig in a poke. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pig%20in%20a%20poke

MLA

“pig in a poke.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pig%20in%20a%20poke. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pig in a poke,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pig%20in%20a%20poke.

Source: pig in a poke on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.