pho

noun

ˈfə 

ˈfō

: a soup made of beef or chicken broth and rice noodles

Did you know?

Pho, which first appeared in print in English in 1935, was borrowed from a Vietnamese word which was spelled phở. English speakers replaced the vowel with "o" but preserved the pronunciation as "fuh," rather than "foh." Another Vietnamese food word that was borrowed into English is nuoc mam, which refers to a type of fish sauce that is fermented in brine. In that case as well, the original Vietnamese word had accent marks that were lost on the journey into English. Nuoc mam was recorded in English just a few years before pho arrived.

Examples of pho in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The pho restaurant was issued a yellow placard after inspectors found rodent droppings and dead cockroaches. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2025

Try Sushi, pho and Korean corn dogs Here are the 10 best Arizona high school football matchups this week Reach the reporter at [e-mail]. —Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 12 Sep. 2024

At Lee’s Summit’s newest Vietnamese and Thai restaurant, Pho Noodle Go, the pho’s beef broth is boiled for 24 hours. —Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 17 Jan. 2025

Get the classic beef pho with brisket, beef tendon, Thai basil, fresh lime and copious amounts of chili oil. —Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Vietnamese phở

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!