boba
nounUS /ˈboʊ.bə/ · UK /ˈbəʊ.bə/
Etymology From Chinese 波霸 (bōbà), from Cantonese 波霸 (bo1 baa3, “tapioca pearls” [literally: “big balls]”), from 波 (bo1) (itself from English ball) and 霸 (baa3, “chief, top”).
1
Synonym of tapioca pearl.
- She settled on the Chai Frappé Burst, a frozen, blended concoction with whipped cream, boba and cinnamon sugar sprinkles.2024 September 16, Priya Krishna, “The Customized Drink Is Out of Control”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
2
Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of boba tea.
- “I was shocked,” said Leanne Yuen, a longtime boba drinker and a student at the University of California, Irvine. “What am I going to do now?”2021 April 16, Kellen Browning, “Another Unlikely Pandemic Shortage: Boba Tea”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
3
Colloquial, Slang A breast, especially that of an adult or adolescent female human.
- Synonyms
- breasts
- Related terms
- boba liberal