The term posh is used particularly in Britain to describe the somewhat over-the-top luxuries affected by those with social pretensions. Popular etymology states the expression originated from the phrase "Port Out, Starboard Home", referred to the most desirable cabin locations on ships travelling to and from British colonies in the Far East. Before air-conditioning, such cabins would remain in the shade en route.
However, extensive searching of shipping company records and tickets from that period has failed to reveal any evidence for explicit "Port Out, Starboard Home" reservations. The fact that this etymology is only recorded 17 years after the term's earliest known appearance (in the 25 September 1918 issue of Punch) also lends weight to the theory that this etymology is merely apocryphal.
The OED records a definition of the noun posh, meaning 'a dandy', from a dictionary of 1890. An on-going modern redefinition of "posh" was revealed in the episodes of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." Part of the wide appeal of the reality-tv series The Osbournes was the contrast between blissfully unchanged and unpretentious rocker Ozzy Osbourne and his posh surroundings.
"POSH" is a song, on this very subject, from the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In the original film, it was performed by Lionel Jeffries.
Posh Spice was the popular name for Victoria Beckham while, and for some time after, she was a member of the Spice Girls group.
"The Posh" is the common name for The Peterborough United Football club a football club in England, United Kingdom.
Posh- An up-and-coming boy band in the UK
