boba

noun

bo·​ba ˈbō-bə How to pronounce boba (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noted for its cheese‐foam and boba-tea creations, Hey Tea is slated to open this June at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026 For non-alcoholic options, the Salvation Army will serve up hot chocolate and BonBon Shop Mke will offer boba to enjoy while shopping. Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 5 Dec. 2025 Its debut menu is an ode to Taiwanese pop culture and food, with inventive fusions like arancini made of sticky rice, panna cotta topped with oolong boba, and Liu’s favorite, an oyster omelette frittata. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025 When Goldstar Supermarket was reinspected that day, inspectors discovered at least 50 rodent droppings in various areas, including on the floor near employee restrooms, behind a two-door Pepsi refrigerator and behind the popping boba drinks storage area. Sacbee.com, 3 Dec. 2025 One of the spaces will be reborn as a new concept with boba and more. Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 26 Nov. 2025 The coworker who is always visiting the local boba shop for a midday pick-me-up will love this Bay Island Bubble Tea with Instant Boba Milk Tea Gift Set. Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 25 Nov. 2025 Tapioca, the main ingredient in boba, is obtained from cassava, which is a root vegetable, per the USDA. Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025 For example, Shake Shack is selling lemonade with mini raspberry popping boba, inspired by the success of bubble tea. Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of boba was in 2000

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boba. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

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