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Pho, which first appeared in print in English in 1935, was borrowed from a Vietnamese word which was spelled phở. English speakers replaced the vowel with "o" but preserved the pronunciation as "fuh," rather than "foh." Another Vietnamese food word that was borrowed into English is nuoc mam, which refers to a type of fish sauce that is fermented in brine. In that case as well, the original Vietnamese word had accent marks that were lost on the journey into English. Nuoc mam was recorded in English just a few years before pho arrived.
Examples of pho in a Sentence
Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
The new spot is slated to open in late spring and promises the same delicious options — savory bahn mi sandwiches, steamy bowls of pho, Korean corn dogs, and more — found at its original location in Steele Creek.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2026
Behind every bowl of pho lies a whole world of everyday life – stories about people, family relationships, and the tensions between generations, between the old and the new, between the desire to preserve tradition and the need to embrace a modern, globalized world, between the young and the old.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
Along with springs rolls, egg rolls, and pho, Moondog offers house specials such as garlic noodles, a buttery dish inspired by the kind made famous by chef Helene An in San Francisco.
—Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pho
Cite this Entry
“Pho.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pho. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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