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

Seven more have signed leases, including a contemporary art gallery and a Vietnamese pho spot. — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2026

The restaurant will serve crispy tamarind wings, coconut mussels, rice flour crepes and many varieties of pho, from flank and brisket to rare eye round. — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026

Known as Hangover Noodles, the restaurant serves dishes from a diverse array of Southeast Asian cuisines, from curry and stir-fry to drunken noodles and pho, according to its website. — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026

On Yelp, customers love the pork vermicelli bowl, beef pho and tofu spring rolls. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Vietnamese phở

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

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