soy sauce

noun

variants or less commonly soy or chiefly British soya sauce
: a brown, salty liquid that is made by subjecting soybeans and roasted grain (such as wheat) to long fermentation in brine and is used especially in Asian cooking and as a condiment
At its most basic, soy sauce is a fermented liquid made from soybeans and wheat. Soybeans contribute a strong, pungent taste, while wheat lends sweetness.Lisa McManuse
My most recent kick has been Chinese. For more than a year now I've been stir-frying everything in ginger and garlic and adding soy sauce.Andrew A. Rooney
see shoyu

Examples of soy sauce 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.
Instead, reapply the stain treatment and rewash the garment or follow the instructions for removing set-in soy sauce stains. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2025 Loaded with flavorful ingredients like ground chuck, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, this is a 20-minute supper your family won't soon forget. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025 Gamsa's Sesame Garlic Savory flavor blends oats, quinoa, rice and seasonings like sesame, garlic and tamar, a gluten-free soy sauce, for a quick and easy breakfast. Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025 Grapefruit, bananas, leafy greens, soy sauce, black licorice, and garlic may all affect these medications. Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for soy sauce

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of soy sauce was in 1775

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Cite this Entry

“Soy sauce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soy%20sauce. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

soy sauce

noun
: a brown sauce made from soybeans and used especially in Chinese and Japanese cooking
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