Soba

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈsəʊbə/

Definitions

1. A kind of slender Japanese noodle formed from buckwheat flour that is often enjoyed in hot soup or served cold with a dipping sauce
2. A traditional culinary staple from Japan, these thin noodles made primarily from buckwheat are versatile, served in both chilled and hot dishes
3. A type of thin noodle originating from Japan, made chiefly from buckwheat and commonly served in dishes either hot or cold depending on preference

Etymology: In Japan, "soba" is simply the everyday word for buckwheat noodles, and the Japanese characters 蕎麦 are the ones English borrowed. The two characters name the buckwheat plant itself, so the noodle takes its name from the grain it is made from. English took the word directly from Japanese, which is why it keeps the Japanese pronunciation, with the stress on the first syllable and a short final "a" rather than anything resembling "noodle" in the Italian sense. The word belongs to a group of Japanese food terms that reached English through travel, cookbooks and restaurants rather than through older European contact. Its appearance in English reflects the broader spread of Japanese cuisine abroad, so it is a loanword of recent date compared with the Latin and French terms that fill most English kitchens.