What does Joker mean in poker?

A Joker in poker is an extra card that, in some formats, can stand in for other cards and act as a wild card.

How does it work?

It depends entirely on the rules of the specific game. Sometimes the joker can replace almost any card. In other cases, its use is limited, and it only helps complete certain hands such as a straight, a flush, or an ace-high hand. So the term itself is simple, but its strength always depends on the format.

In standard Texas Hold’em, jokers are not used. They are more common in draw games, home games, and non-standard poker variants. For that reason, joker is considered a more specialised than fundamental term in poker vocabulary.