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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
For more traditional Vietnamese food, Phở Lụa, an alfresco dining spot, serves a warm chicken pho that makes for a hearty breakfast.
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Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
The menu is extensive, offering vermicelli and pho plus less common dishes, such as Vietnamese hot pot and lemongrass-marinated tofu.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
On Saturday find a beef curry dip from Jitlada, a burger dip from Father’s Office and a Wagyu pho dip from Little Fatty.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Try Pho Ha Noi (969 Story Road) for Shaking Beef, bowls of pho, vermicelli bowls (that’s where the nuoc cham, aka fish sauce, comes in), and Duc Huong (1020 Story Road) for banh mi.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
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Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
The menu is extensive, offering vermicelli and pho plus less common dishes, such as Vietnamese hot pot and lemongrass-marinated tofu.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
On Saturday find a beef curry dip from Jitlada, a burger dip from Father’s Office and a Wagyu pho dip from Little Fatty.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Try Pho Ha Noi (969 Story Road) for Shaking Beef, bowls of pho, vermicelli bowls (that’s where the nuoc cham, aka fish sauce, comes in), and Duc Huong (1020 Story Road) for banh mi.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pho
Cite this Entry
“Pho.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pho. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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