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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
Brock Keeling, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
The pho and shrimp bao buns somehow matched perfectly with more local dishes like beef entrecote and papet Vaudois.
—Jackie Caradonio, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2026
Houston’s culinary scene is deeply shaped by its vibrant Asian community, with the Bellaire and Chinatown areas acting as hubs for pho, ramen, curry, and banh mi.
—Matt Moore, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026
The pho at PHOnomenal is aptly named and worth the wait in line.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pho
Cite this Entry
“Pho.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pho. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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