noun

tempura

TEHM-puu-ruh

Tempura (noun) means a Japanese dish of vegetables, seafood, or other ingredients coated in a light batter and deep-fried. Example: “We ordered shrimp tempura and a bowl of rice.”

noun

A Japanese dish of vegetables, seafood, or other ingredients coated in a light batter and deep-fried.

"We ordered shrimp tempura and a bowl of rice."

How to use tempura

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishJapanese-style battered and deep-fried food, known for its light, crispy coating.

Common pairings

shrimp tempura tempura batter vegetable tempura

Word forms

tempuras plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

We ordered shrimp _____ and a bowl of rice.

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese tenpura, itself from Portuguese — most likely from tempero/temperar ("to season"), brought to Japan by Portuguese missionaries who fried fish and vegetables during Catholic fasting periods known as Ember days.

Origin: Portuguese

Rhymes for tempura

Jura aura sura Yura Laura Maura shura Miura sakura Ashura kimura Tamura

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Frequently asked questions

What does “tempura” mean?

The word “tempura” means a Japanese dish of vegetables, seafood, or other ingredients coated in a light batter and deep-fried. In plain terms, japanese-style battered and deep-fried food, known for its light, crispy coating.

How do you pronounce “tempura”?

“Tempura” is pronounced TEHM-puu-ruh (/tɛmˈpu.ɹə/ in IPA).

How do you use “tempura” in a sentence?

Here is “tempura” used in a sentence: “We ordered shrimp tempura and a bowl of rice.”

What part of speech is “tempura”?

“Tempura” is a noun.

Where does the word “tempura” come from?

The word “tempura” comes from Portuguese.

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Vocabulary lists that include tempura:

Words with Portuguese origins