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.
The family spends a lot of time at the local library and enjoys taking their kids out for pho and on weekend camping trips.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Sample a twist on dinner and drinks: Would you try a mojito with gazpacho or a martini with pho?
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
For people who really need a hot meal, the office microwave just doesn’t cut it — no one wants their pho coming out smelling like popcorn and old pasta sauce.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2025
There’s a pho place, a ramen place and Iroha Sushi, my favorite sushi in the city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2025
"Pho, pho," said the youngest, laughing, "you are both so proud; now, I would be content with the Red Bull o' Norroway."
From Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales A Sequel to the Nursery Rhymes of England by J. O. (James Orchard) Halliwell-Phillipps
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.
