Word
pod
US/pɑːd/
UK/pɒd/
Definitions
01seed case of a plant
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Botany
n. a long, thin case that holds the seeds of a plant such as a pea or bean.
n. the elongated seed vessel of a leguminous plant, which dries and splits open when ripe to release its seeds.
“The peas grew inside a bright green pod.”
“As the beans ripened, each pod dried and split along its seam, scattering the seeds across the soil.”
02group of whales or dolphins
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Zoology
n. a small group of whales, dolphins, or seals that swim together.
n. a social group of marine mammals such as whales or dolphins that travel, hunt, and communicate together.
“A pod of dolphins followed the boat.”
“Marine biologists tracked the pod of orcas for weeks as it migrated along the coastline.”
03detachable compartment
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a small, separate part of a vehicle or structure, often one that can come away from the main body.
n. a detachable or self-contained compartment or capsule, such as an escape pod or one of the passenger capsules on an observation wheel.
“The astronauts climbed into the escape pod.”
“Each glass pod on the observation wheel turns slowly enough for passengers to photograph the whole skyline.”
Synonyms
04small container or unit
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Technology
n. a small sealed container for a single use, or a small self-contained unit in technology.
n. a small single-use container (as of coffee or detergent) and, by extension, a self-contained technical unit such as a Kubernetes pod that groups one or more containers sharing storage and network.
“She dropped a coffee pod into the machine.”
“In Kubernetes, a pod bundles one or more containers so they share storage, a network address, and a lifecycle.”
Usage
When referring to animals, it is a collective noun specifically used for marine mammals.
Etymology
The "seed case" sense is recorded from the 1680s and is of uncertain origin, possibly a back-formation from the earlier podware ("seed of legumes"). The use of pod for a small group of whales or dolphins appeared in the early nineteenth century, also of unknown origin. The "detachable compartment" and single-use-container senses are twentieth-century extensions.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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