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pad thai

a popular Thai dish of stir-fried rice noodles with egg, vegetables, and sauce

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Where does the word "pad thai" come from? It comes from Thai pad thai, and was adopted directly into English (1970s).

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Where does the word "pad thai" come from? It comes from Thai pad thai, and was adopted directly into English (1970s).

Pad thai’s story begins in Thai: pad thai meant “Thai-style stir-fry.” Literally fried Thai style, a stir-fried rice noodle dish promoted as a national dish. It reached English by 1970s as pad thai. Promoted as a national dish by the Thai government of Plaek Phibunsongkhram in the 1930s–40s. Today, pad thai means a popular Thai dish of stir-fried rice noodles with egg, vegetables, and sauce.

  1. Stage 1 · Thai · 1930s pad thai "Thai-style stir-fry", literally fried Thai style, a stir-fried rice noodle dish promoted as a national dish.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1970s pad thai "a stir-fried Thai noodle dish", promoted as a national dish by the Thai government of Plaek Phibunsongkhram in the 1930s–40s.

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