pho

noun

ˈfə How to pronounce pho (audio)
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

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Pho Phon Lu serves the best pho in Austin, the beefy broth packed with star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fish sauce and all the goodness that makes the restorative soup so unique. Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025 My most joyous laughs have been over a steaming, spicy bowl of pho. Zuri Primos july 22, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2025 Pho Phong Luu The steaming bowls of pho might get top billing but the garlic-fish sauce wings at this Vietnamese cafe pack an umami punch like few others in town. Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 15 July 2025 The episode ends with the buzz of the alarm at 6:45 a.m., as Jess shovels cold pho into her mouth in preparation for another exhausted workday. Judy Berman, Time, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for pho

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Vietnamese phở

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pho was in 1935

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Cite this Entry

“Pho.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pho. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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