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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
Sunny Hubler, Charlotte Observer, 4 Feb. 2025
Pho Dang soups This new Vietnamese restaurant opened in October, serving up vibrant, hearty bowls of pho ($18.50-$19.50) with steak, brisket, meatballs or oxtail.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2025
He was also known for his takes on other Vietnamese classics like lemongrass chicken, chicken pho, crispy bánh xèo and more, according to Food & Wine.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025
While pho and banh mi are easily identifiable as Vietnamese, there’s so much more to the fare than these two quintessential items.
—Christina Liao, Vogue, 27 Dec. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near pho
Cite this Entry
“Pho.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pho. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
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