pho
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of pho
Perhaps from French (pot-au-)feu pot-au-feu
Explanation
Pho is a delicious Vietnamese noodle soup. In Vietnam, it's common to eat a bowl of pho for breakfast. Traditionally, pho is made with beef broth and rice noodles, and topped with slices of beef and herbs. There are also chicken, tofu, and vegetable versions of this iconic Vietnamese soup, all of them warm and aromatic. Pho was invented in the early 1900s in the northern part of Vietnam, with a name most likely influenced by French colonizers — the Vietnamese phở probably derives from feu, or "fire."
Vocabulary lists containing pho
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“If private practices are full, seniors should consider community-based care options” such as community health centers, Pho said.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 7, 2026
Whenever we drive south for a hike, we like to go to Pho 79 in the Anaheim area, or Garden Grove maybe.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2025
The restaurant, Pho Gabo, closed in early February after facing the threat of a hefty fine.
From Salon • Mar. 22, 2024
The most ambitious restaurant to debut in the South End in recent memory, this Vietnamese restaurant comes from the owner behind the Vinason Pho chain.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 6, 2024
Pho, pho! what stuff!" he said—"what absurd stuff!
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 13 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
