Etymology

A contraction of pomegranate, rhyming slang for immigrant (“imme-granate”). The older term of Jimmy Grant, meaning immigrant, became Pommy Grant as the Australian sun turned the immigrant’s skin pomegranate red.

Many folk etymologies also exist:

• A devolution of “Prisoner of His/Her Majesty” or “POHM”
• An acronym for “Prisoner of Mother England”

Noun

1. An American alcoholic drink containing vodka and pomegranate juice.
2. An Englishman, A Briton, A person of British descent.

Usage notes

The use of this word to refer to a British person is considered by some to be pejorative. The word is, however, used by many Australians and some British people as a neutral or even affirmative term. It can however still be offensive.

See also

• kiwi
• pompom
• yank
• Wikipedia article on Alternative words for British