tempe
tempe Lexical Profile
• noun
A traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans formed into a firm block or patty, widely consumed as a high-protein meat substitute.
"She chopped the tempe into cubes and stir-fried it with fresh vegetables and a spicy peanut sauce."
American A major city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located in the East Valley section of the Phoenix metropolitan area and recognized as the principal home of Arizona State University.
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the Indonesian food product, it is more commonly spelled 'tempeh' in modern English to aid pronunciation, whereas 'Tempe' (capitalized) refers to the city in Arizona.
• Rhymes for tempe
Word Origin & Etymology
The food name originates from Javanese 'témpé'. The city in Arizona was named in 1879 by pioneer Darrell Duppa, who thought the local landscape resembled the fertile Vale of Tempe in ancient Greece.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.