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”

Explanation

Soy refers to both a plant and the protein-rich food made from its beans. You can drink soy milk, eat tofu, or use soy sauce to add flavor to your meals Soy refers to a high-protein vegetable that can be transformed into a variety of foods and products. From tofu, oil, and soy milk in the kitchen to biodiesel and plastics in industry, soybeans are incredibly adaptable. This makes soy not only a dietary staple for many but also a critical ingredient in numerous industrial applications. Its ability to serve both culinary and commercial purposes highlights its global economic importance.

Example Sentences

But the country's forests are still threatened by agriculture, which remains the largest driver of forest loss to make room for soy fields and cattle ranches.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

Tan afirmó que, como autora, “me imagino las vidas de las personas sobre las que escribo”, y ese acto de compasión “refleja nuestra política y nuestras creencias. Así que sí, soy una escritora política”.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

Then we let it ferment and age to make soy sauce.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

He kept saying that our soy sauce couldn’t be made without this storehouse, its earthen walls, earthen floors and wooden vats.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

It might be, “We still don’t have soy sauce. You didn’t have time to get soy sauce?”

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri