poll
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
At Cambridge, the "ordinary degree" candidates for the B.A. Examination, who do not aspire to the "Honours" list. From the Greek, οἱ πόλλοι, "the many."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “poll” mean?
At Cambridge, the "ordinary degree" candidates for the B.A. Examination, who do not aspire to the "Honours" list. From the Greek, οἱ πόλλοι, "the many."
Is “poll” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.