soy

American

[soi] / sɔɪ /

especially British, soya

noun

the soybean plant or its seeds.

Soy is a major crop in Brazil.
a product or products made from soybeans.

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

Add about 2 tablespoons soy to the noodles.
soymilk.

We use soy in our coffee instead of milk.

adjective

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The South American nation is the world's top exporter of soy and maize, and ongoing efforts to upgrade river ports aim to ease transportation.

From Barron's

That single bag can be the backbone of more dinners than you think: stirred into fried rice with a scrambled egg and a splash of soy sauce.

From Salon

Vegans and vegetarians have popularized plant-based milk alternatives — almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, cashew, hemp, coconut; if it grows, it may have a milk version.

From Los Angeles Times

He drenches his plate in too much soy sauce, and I wrinkle my nose at the salty rice.

From Literature

These include opening up its markets to more US chemicals, medical devices, car parts, soy products and meat, said the White House.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023