noun
tempura
TEHM-puu-ruh
noun
1
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 notesIn 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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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.