boba

noun

bo·​ba ˈbō-bə 

plural boba also bobas

1

or boba tea : a sweet drink of tea mixed typically with milk, tapioca balls, and additional ingredients (such as fresh fruit or fruit syrup) and served hot or cold : bubble tea

—often used before another noun

a boba shop

2

plural : small balls of tapioca sometimes filled with flavored syrup and used chiefly in making boba

A wider straw enables the squishy bobas, which can have a burst of flavor when popped, to be slurped from the bottom of the cup.

—Laura Gutschke

Examples of boba in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Junberry Tea Lounge, a new cafe offering full tea service, boba and matcha, is now open in Rancho Cordova’s Sunridge Plaza at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Douglas Road. — Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Bubble tea, with its chewy tapioca boba pearls, was invented in Taiwan in the 1980s. — Dee-Ann Durbin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

On a summer’s day, Evan Hubinger issued a stark warning about the future with a boba drink in his hand. — Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2026

Think smoothies, boba, fast food, salty snacks, in-app purchases and cosmetics. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Chinese (Beijing) bōbà, name for the large tapioca balls found in the tea, perhaps literally, "large breasts, large-breasted woman"

First Known Use

2000, in the meaning defined at sense 1