noun
bento
BEHN-toh
noun
1
A Japanese-style boxed meal, typically packed with rice, protein, and vegetables arranged neatly in separate compartments.
"She packed her daughter a colorful bento for school."
"The convenience store sells a surprisingly good salmon bento."
2
In design, a layout made up of cards or sections arranged in an irregular, grid-like pattern, resembling the compartments of a bento box.
"The new homepage uses a bento layout to showcase different features at a glance."
How to Use Bento
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA compartmentalized Japanese lunchbox meal — or, more recently, a design style that arranges content the same way.
Common pairings
bento box
bento layout
pack a bento
Word Forms
bento plural, bentos plural
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She packed her daughter a colorful _____ for school.
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese bentō, referring to the traditional lacquered lunchbox.