# smokey

/ˈsmoʊki/ (US) · /smˈəʊki/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/smokey
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

a police officer, especially a highway patrol officer. This is a very casual word used mainly in the United States.

For teachers: a police officer, specifically a state trooper or highway patrol officer. Informal in register and primarily associated with North American automotive culture.

## Examples

- Slow down because there might be a smokey hiding behind that bridge.
- Truck drivers used to warn each other about a smokey on the road using their CB radios.
- The classic film features a high-speed chase where the protagonist constantly evades a persistent smokey across several state lines.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The smokey arrested the thief in the house." but "The police arrested the thief in the house." — Smokey specifically refers to highway patrol or state troopers; it is not a general term for all police officers in all contexts.

## Usage notes

- Often used with the definite article ('the smokey') or in the plural ('smokeys').

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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.