UK[ˈpɒkɪt]US[ˈpɑːkɪt]
n
A small bag sewn into or on clothing, used for carrying small articles.
n
A small, isolated group or area.
v
To put into one's pocket.
v
To take or appropriate for oneself, especially dishonestly.
Etymology
The word 'pocket' entered Middle English from the Anglo-Norman term 'poket', a diminutive form of 'poke', which meant a bag or sack. This 'poke' itself has Germanic origins, related to Old English 'pocca' and Old Norse 'pokki', both meaning 'bag'. The diminutive suffix '-et' signified a small bag, which perfectly described the new feature being sewn into garments. Over time, the literal meaning of a small pouch in clothing expanded metaphorically to describe any small, confined space or the act of surreptitiously taking something, as if hiding it in one's pocket.
Analysis
The word 'pocket' is a simplex word of Anglo-Norman origin. It does not contain separable morphemes in its modern English spelling that are meaningful in isolation.
Examples
He checked his pocket for loose change.
The village was a peaceful pocket of resistance to modernization.
The salesman was found to have pocketed a portion of the proceeds.