Traditionally, a pop-up was a secondary browser window that opened automatically over or under your current window. In the early 2000s, these were rampant. Today, the definition has expanded. Modern "pop-ups" often aren't new windows at all; they are overlays, modals, or lightboxes that appear within the same tab using JavaScript or CSS.
Sometimes, users think their blocker isn't working because they see a pop-up ad. However, Safari's blocker is actually fine—the "ad" is the website itself. pop-up blocker safari