lo mein

Where does the word "lo mein" come from? It comes from Cantonese lo mihn, and was adopted directly into English (mid-1900s).

Lo mein’s story begins in Cantonese: lo mihn meant “noodles tossed with sauce and toppings.” Literally 'stirred noodles', a dish of noodles tossed rather than fried in sauce. It reached English by mid-1900s as lo mein. Borrowed into American English through Chinese-American restaurant menus. Today, lo mein means a Chinese dish of soft wheat noodles tossed with sauce, vegetables, and meat.

1. Stage 1 · Cantonese · 19th century lo mihn "noodles tossed with sauce and toppings", literally 'stirred noodles', a dish of noodles tossed rather than fried in sauce.
2. Stage 2 · English · mid-1900s lo mein "a Chinese-American dish of soft noodles tossed with sauce", borrowed into American English through Chinese-American restaurant menus.