boba

American  

[boh-buh] / ˈboʊ bə /

noun

1. Also boba tea bubble tea.

2. (often used with a plural verb) large, round pearls of tapioca, usually boiled in a sweetened syrup and served in bubble tea.

---

Etymology

Origin of boba

First recorded in 1995–2000; said to be from a dialectal Chinese source akin to Cantonese bo baa or Mandarin bōbà “tapioca pearl,” colloquially, “big-breasted woman,” equivalent to Cantonese bo “ball, breast” (from English ball ¹ ( def. ) ) + baa “overlord, tyrant”

Example Sentences

Naoshi’s pieces usually center around a chic ingenue sporting food-focused fashion — think bonnets made of bonbons and boba tea skirts.

From Los Angeles Times

If you want to add boba or other types of toppings, or make it a protein-based drink, you can.

From The Wall Street Journal

A good example is putting boba on an energy drink.

From The Wall Street Journal

China’s boba behemoth has landed in Hollywood.

From Los Angeles Times

The megachain’s entry into Los Angeles’ boba market comes at a time when local shops are struggling with rising costs driven by tariffs and economic uncertainty.

From Los Angeles Times