# POS

/ˈpɑs/ (US) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pos
Updated: 2026-05-10

## Definition

Stands for piece of shit. You use it to describe something that is broken, low quality, or very annoying.

For teachers: Abbreviation for piece of shit. Used to describe an object or person perceived as worthless or of extremely poor quality. Highly informal and vulgar in register; restricted to casual or aggressive contexts.

## Examples

- My old car is a total POS.
- I spent all morning trying to fix this POS printer before finally giving up and buying a new one.
- While the software was marketed as a revolutionary tool for productivity, the developers privately admitted it was a buggy POS that should never have left the testing phase.

## Pitfalls

- Not "This is a POS of car." but "This car is a POS." — The acronym functions as a single noun; you cannot insert other nouns into the middle of the phrase it represents.

## Usage notes

- Usually functions as a predicative noun following 'is' or 'a total'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.