Join free

fob

English · Français · Deutsch · Português · Thesaurus

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

fob¹

  • /fɒb/

Rhymes with -ɒb

Where it comes from

From Low German Fobke (“pocket”) or High Prussian Fuppe (“pocket”), probably related to Swedish ficka (“pocket”), Old Danish fikke, Alemannic German figge, Middle Dutch vicke, all from Proto-Germanic *fikkja, of uncertain ultimate origin:

* possibly from Proto-Indo-European *pewǵ- (“to assail, strike”), related to *fukkōną (“to strike”);

* or of Romance origin, from Latin figere (“to fix, fasten”), possibly via an old form of Italian ficcare.

Also see Ficke.

noun fobs

  1. A little pocket near the waistline of a pair of trousers or in a waistcoat or vest to hold money or valuables, especially a pocket watch. With a saint at his chin and a seal at his fob.
  2. A short chain or ribbon to connect such a pocket to the watch.
  3. A small ornament attached to such a chain. fob seal
  4. A hand-held electronic device that can be used as a remote control or as a key to unlock motor cars, doors, etc., and thus, modern car keys.

fob²

  • /fɒb/

Rhymes with -ɒb

Where it comes from

From German foppen (“to mock”).

verb fobs · fobbing · fobbed · fub

  1. archaic, transitive To cheat, to deceive, to trick, to take in, to impose upon someone. I think it is scurvy, and begin to find myself fobbed in it.
  2. archaic, transitive To beat; to maul.

fob³

  • /fɒb/

Rhymes with -ɒb

Where it comes from

Abbreviation.

adjective

  1. not comparable Alternative letter-case form of FOB (“free on board”).

FOB⁴

adjective F.O.B. · F. O. B. · fob

  1. abbreviation, initialism, not comparable Initialism of free on board
  2. abbreviation, initialism, not comparable, slang Initialism of fresh off the boat All I knew was, the three-year gap made the difference between passing as American and being exposed as FOB.

noun FOBs · F.O.B. · F. O. B. · fob

  1. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of forward operating base
  2. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of flash of brilliance
  3. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of freedom of belief
  4. US, abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of friend of Bill: a supporter of Bill Clinton. It seemed at times that everyone was an FOB — everyone, that is, who'd emerged from the ivyest groves of academia […]
  5. India, abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of foot overbridge: a pedestrian overpass. There has been an inordinate delay in starting work on the foot over bridge (FOB) with escalators in front of D.G. Vaishnav College on Poonamallee High Road in Arumbakkam. […] The FOB at P.H. Road, which is maintained by the state highways department, is one of seven similar facilities planned at va
  6. abbreviation, countable, derogatory, initialism, sometimes, uncountable Initialism of fresh off the boat, a recent immigrant. Everyone was Chinese. Some of the students were ABCs. That means "American-born Chinese." Others were FOBs. FOB means "fresh off the boat" and it is a bad insult. I didn't feel prejudiced about the FOBs because I was one of them.

    Similar: freshie, greener, new chum, blow-in, come-here, comeling, entrant, FOB, fresh meat, incomer, Johnny-come-lately, Johnny Raw

  7. abbreviation, countable, uncountable Abbreviation of fecal occult blood
  8. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism of father of the bride

proper noun F.O.B. · F. O. B. · fob

  1. abbreviation, initialism Initialism of Fall Out Boy, an American pop-punk band formed in Chicago.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: watch pocket, watch chain, trick, fox, watch guard, chain, transceiver, transmitter, mfr, man, fabs, fab, fwb, fobt, good, boa

Translations

Every language

noun chain or ribbon

Españolleontina
Portuguêscorrente
Françaischâtelaine
DeutschUhrkette
Ελληνικάκαδένα kadéna

noun ornament

Portuguêsberloque
DeutschSchlüsselanhänger
Românăbreloc
Русскийбрело́к brelók

noun remote control for locking and unlocking a vehicle

Españolcontrol remoto automotriz, control automotor
Françaisbip
DeutschFunkschlüssel

verb To cheat, to trick

Españolengatusar

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"fob." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/fob. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

fob. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/fob

Chicago

"fob." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/fob.

BibTeX
@misc{fob_2026,
  title = {fob},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/fob},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}