poshnessn.
/ˈpɒʃnəs/, U.S. /ˈpɑʃnəs/ colloquial.
The state or quality of being ‘posh’.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > aristocracy or upper class > [noun] > state of being aristocratic
aristocraticalness1731
aristocraticness1877
classiness1927
poshness1931
upper-classness1950
U-ness1954
1931 C. Lithgow Simple Sailor xvii. 218 In his pet dark blue morning coat, with a gardenia in its buttonhole.., he was rather a splendid figure. No doubt whatever was there of ‘his poshness’.
1960 C. S. Lewis Stud. in Words vii. 179 ‘A general simplicity in our dress, our discourse, and our behaviour.’ Sincerity (not affectation)? Plainness (not ‘poshness’)? The easy (not the hard)?
1965 M. Morse Unattached iv. 123 The real focus of dislike was the teachers' ‘poshness’, which the girls felt was often assumed in order to demonstrate that a social gap existed between teacher and pupil.
1978 R. Hill Pinch of Snuff xiii. 132 An extra element of ‘poshness’ was inherent in the ‘Private Road’ sign.
1994 Canal & Riverboat Feb. 15/3 Microwave, TV, stereo, central heating, washing machine, etc., add or subtract according to poshness.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1931