pocket money: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Informal, everyday
Quick answer
What does “pocket money” mean?
A small, regular amount of money given to a child by their parents, typically for personal spending on non-essential items.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small, regular amount of money given to a child by their parents, typically for personal spending on non-essential items.
A modest sum of money available for incidental personal expenses, not tied to specific bills or necessities. Can sometimes refer to a small supplementary income for an adult.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'pocket money' is dominant in British English. In American English, 'allowance' is the more common equivalent, though 'pocket money' is understood.
Connotations
In British English, it strongly connotes a child's weekly cash from parents. In American English, 'allowance' can sometimes imply a system tied to chores, whereas 'pocket money' may sound slightly old-fashioned or British.
Frequency
Very high frequency in UK family contexts; moderate frequency in US, where 'allowance' is preferred.
Grammar
How to Use “pocket money” in a Sentence
SUBJ (parent) gives OBJ (child) pocket moneySUBJ (child) gets/earns/ spends pocket moneySUBJ (child) saves pocket money for OBJ (toy)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “pocket money” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He's been pocket-moneying his son since he was seven.
- I need to pocket-money my daughter for the school trip.
American English
- She allowances her kids every Friday.
adverb
British English
- He's paid pocket-moneyly for helping his neighbour.
adjective
British English
- They had a pocket-money budget for sweets.
- It's just a pocket-money job, nothing serious.
American English
- It's an allowance-based chore system.
- He makes allowance-level income from his paper round.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Potentially used metaphorically for a small, discretionary departmental budget.
Academic
Rare, except in sociological studies of childhood/family economics.
Everyday
Very common in family discussions about children's finances.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “pocket money”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pocket money”
- Using 'pocket money' to refer to an adult's salary (too informal/childish).
- Saying 'pocket monies' (uncountable noun).
- Confusing with 'petty cash' (for office/business small expenses).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, it strongly implies a child's allowance from parents. Using it for an adult's small personal fund is informal and often humorous or self-deprecating.
In British English, they are largely synonymous. In American English, 'allowance' is standard. 'Allowance' can sometimes imply a more formal agreement, possibly tied to chores, whereas 'pocket money' feels more informal and gratuitous.
It's possible but less common. The standard model is weekly, aligning with a child's shorter timeframe for planning. Daily sums would typically be very small and might be called 'dinner money' or 'bus fare' instead.
No, it is an uncountable noun. You have 'some pocket money' or 'a lot of pocket money', not 'a pocket money' or 'pocket moneys'.
A small, regular amount of money given to a child by their parents, typically for personal spending on non-essential items.
Pocket money is usually informal, everyday in register.
Pocket money: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɒk.ɪt ˌmʌn.i/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɑː.kɪt ˌmʌn.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Burning a hole in your pocket (related concept)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a child putting coins directly into their POCKET to spend later as they please – that's their MONEY.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A (MOVABLE) OBJECT FOR PERSONAL CONTAINMENT (pocket).
Practice
Quiz
Which term is most synonymous with 'pocket money' in American family contexts?