poise

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A calm, confident, and graceful manner.

   She answered the difficult questions with remarkable poise.

2. 2
   noun

   A state of balance or steadiness.

   The dancer held her body in perfect poise.

3. 3
   verb

   To hold or balance something steadily, often ready to move.

   The cat poised itself, ready to pounce on the mouse.

Simplified etymology

Poise came through Old French pois from Latin pensum “a weight” and originally meant “weight.” This led to the ideas of equal weight, balance, and equilibrium, from which the modern senses of composure and graceful bearing developed in the late 18th century.

From Middle English poys, poyse, from Anglo-Norman pois, Middle French pois (“weight”) and Anglo-Norman poise, Middle French poise (“measure of weight”), from Latin pendere (“to weigh, ponder, think”). Doublet of peise.

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