Oh, sigh . . . Another word confusion that shows me up as wrong. I do hate that. To be fair [to me, of course], I suspect most well-read people would assume, upon seeing the word poo used in a sentence, that excrement was being mentioned.
In context, though, I guess I would define pooh as poo, but I would also think the writer was misspelling it. I know. It’s a prejudice on my part. I think it’s all those historical novels I read at an impressionable age. I grew up thinking that pooh! was an exclamation of disdain. Now I can’t help but think poo and pooh are two separate words.
It’s up to you which word you choose to use. Consider your target reading audience; which word are they most likely to associate with the impression you want them to have? And when you choose, remember the cardinal rule of writing — be CONSISTENT!
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| Poo | Pooh |
|---|---|
 — |
 — |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Noun; Suffix; Verb, intransitive & transitive
Alternate informal spelling: pooh Plural for the noun: poo Third person present verb: poos |
Exclamation; Noun; Verb, intransitive & transitive
Alternate informal spelling: poo Plural for the noun: pooh Third person present verb: poohs |
| Exclamation: Expression of displeasure or failure Noun: [British] Faecal matter [Singular noun] An act of defecating Suffix: Dog + poodle mix Verb, intransitive: Verb, transitive: |
Exclamation: Used to express disgust at an unpleasant smell
Noun: [Slang; uncountable] Champagne Verb, intransitive: To say pooh Verb, transitive: |
| Examples: | |
| Exclamation: Ooh, that’s icky poo! Noun: C’mon, honey, do a poo for mommy. Have another glass of ‘poo, darling. Suffix: Oh, that’s just icky-poo. I love Yorkie-poos. Verb, intransitive: Verb, transitive: |
Exclamation: Oh pooh! Don’t be such a spoilsport. “‘Pooh! pooh!’ said Mr Folair, unwinding his comforter, and gradually getting himself out of it” (Dickens, chapt 29). Pooh! Sir, they know the world. Noun: “Take our fun quiz to find out, and check out some of the Winnie the Pooh’s most memorable nuggets of wisdom below” (Gregory). “Pooh and friends have entertained generations of children” (Gregory). “Pooh has always been a source of simple wisdom.” (Gregory). Verb, intransitive: “The Doctor . . . pshaw’d and pooh’d for some time” (Smith, 44). She pooh-poohed my suggestion. Verb, transitive: Maggie is poohing in her potty chair! |
| History of the Word: | |
| This was first used in the 1950s. | A natural exclamation that was first recorded in English in the late 16th century. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Poo versus Pooh
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Apple Dictionary.com
Dickens, Charles. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. London: Chapman and Hall, 1839. Xist Classics, 2016. <https://amzn.to/3YxVRFR>. Ebook.
Gregory, Aodhan. “Winnie the Pooh Quiz: Test Your ex-Pooh-tise on the Beloved Bear.” The Daily Mirror. 19 Jan 2019. Web. 17 Dec 2022. <https://www.mirror.co.uk/film/winnie-pooh-quiz-test-your-13878021>.
Smith, Charlotte. The Young Philosopher, vol 1. Originally published 1798. Gale ECCO, 2018. <https://amzn.to/3hFU8hb>. Hardcover.
Your Dictionary.com: poo
Pinterest Photo Credits
Nuggets, <https://visualhunt.com/f2/photo/9179687531/4fb4e95ccc/>, by cogdogblog is via VisualHunt and Winnie the Pooh Costume, <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWinnie_the_Pooh_Costume.jpg>, by Jameziecakes is via Wikimedia Commons. Both are under the CC BY 2.0 license.
Revised as of 17 Apr 2024
By: Kathy Davie