pad thai

American  

[paht tahy, pad] / ˈpɑt ˈtaɪ, ˈpæd /

noun

Cooking.

1. a Thai dish of stir-fried rice noodles, fish sauce and other seasonings, and usually tofu, shrimp, bean sprouts, and peanuts.

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Etymology

Origin of pad thai

First recorded in 1975-80; from Thai phàtthai, equivalent to phàt “stir-fry, stir-fried, stir-fried food” + tai, thai “Thai”

Example Sentences

He would sit by the lake watching the sunset, and one stormy evening - while eating takeaway Pad Thai - decided it would make a "funny, sad" self-portrait.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

I downloaded Atlas and asked it to order Pad Thai on Uber Eats from my favorite local Thai restaurant.

From Barron's • Oct. 22, 2025

Pad Thai or orange chicken are must haves, but Tangie goes well with almost all Asian dishes.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 1, 2021

There's even a recipe for Prison Pad Thai that, according to the book, is an actual prisoner creation.

From Salon • Apr. 2, 2019

Try making Pad Thai instead of ordering takeout, and treat yourself with these crisp toffee bars.

From New York Times • Jul. 8, 2016