noun
pocketbook
PO-kiht-buuk
noun
1
A small case for carrying money or cards; in American English, sometimes a handbag or purse.
"She snapped her pocketbook shut and headed for the door."
2
One's personal finances or spending power.
"Rising fuel prices are hitting every family's pocketbook."
How to Use Pocketbook
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small wallet or purse, or figuratively, someone's personal budget.
UK vs US
In American English, "pocketbook" often means a handbag; in British English it more often means a small notebook.
Common pairings
hit someone's pocketbook
watch your pocketbook
Word Forms
pocketbooks plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “pocketbook”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She snapped her _____ shut and headed for the door.
Etymology
From pocket + book (1610s); later popularized as a term for cheap paperbacks by the US publisher Pocket Books after 1939.