puto
Puto (noun) means a small steamed rice cake, often slightly sweet, popular in Filipino cuisine and usually eaten as a snack or side dish. Example: “She brought a tray of puto to the family gathering.”
How to use puto
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA soft, steamed rice cake — a well-known Filipino snack food, usually round and slightly sweet.
It is a food name, not related to any English word it might resemble — treat it as a loanword from Tagalog.
Trace the full origin ↓Word forms
putos plural, puto plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She brought a tray of _____ to the family gathering.
Etymology
Borrowed from Tagalog puto, itself from Malay putu, which traces back to a Tamil word for a steamed rice dish — a chain of borrowing that followed centuries of trade across South and Southeast Asia.
Rhymes for puto
See all rhymes for puto →Frequently asked questions
What does “puto” mean?
The word “puto” means a small steamed rice cake, often slightly sweet, popular in Filipino cuisine and usually eaten as a snack or side dish. In plain terms, a soft, steamed rice cake — a well-known Filipino snack food, usually round and slightly sweet.
How do you pronounce “puto”?
“Puto” is pronounced POO-toh (/ˈpuːtoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “puto” in a sentence?
Here is “puto” used in a sentence: “She brought a tray of puto to the family gathering.”
What part of speech is “puto”?
“Puto” is a noun.
Where does the word “puto” come from?
The word “puto” comes from Tagalog. Borrowed from Tagalog puto, itself from Malay putu, which traces back to a Tamil word for a steamed rice dish — a chain of borrowing that followed centuries of trade across South and Southeast Asia.
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