soy

American  

[soi] / sɔɪ /

especially British, soya

noun

1. the soybean plant or its seeds.

   Soy is a major crop in Brazil.

2. a product or products made from soybeans.

   I'm vegetarian, so my main source of protein is soy.

3. soy sauce.

   Add about 2 tablespoons soy to the noodles.

4. soymilk.

   We use soy in our coffee instead of milk.

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adjective

1. made or derived from soybeans or soymilk.

   soy flour.

Etymology

Origin of soy

First recorded in 1690–1700; perhaps via Dutch or New Latin soya, soja, from Japanese shōyu, earlier siau-yu, from Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese jìngyóu “soybean oil”

Example Sentences

My knowledge of soy sauce was limited to its use in savory dishes and dips, so I told myself, “This sounds too good to be true.”

From Salon

Diced and seasoned tomato—red, sweet, alive—stacked under finely chopped, lightly cured and anointed scallop and a drizzle of creamy soy dressing.

From Salon

Researchers consider the foods as those made with ingredients not normally found in a home kitchen, including high-fructose corn syrup and emulsifiers such as soy lecithin.

From The Wall Street Journal

The state's soy bean farmers and cattle ranchers have felt the pinch from tariffs and trade disputes.

From BBC

Eels, called "unagi" in Japan, have been consumed there for millennia and are now typically grilled on skewers and dipped in a soy and rice wine sauce.

From Barron's