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Definition of tempura

tempura

/tɛmˈpʊrə/
tem · pu · ra
Plural:tempura
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tempura Lexical Profile

tempura Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A Japanese dish consisting of seafood, meat, or vegetables that have been coated in a light batter and deep-fried.

Example

"For our appetizer, we ordered a platter of shrimp and sweet potato tempura served with a light soy dipping sauce."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for tempura

• Rhymes for tempura

• Nearby Words

temple
temple pit viper
temple viper
tempura
tench
tenderloin
tendon

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 'tempura' (天麩羅), which was introduced to Japan by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century. It likely derives from the Portuguese 'têmporas' (Ember Days), a period of Catholic fasting when meat was abstained from in favor of fish and vegetables, or 'tempero', meaning seasoning.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Tempura. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/tempura
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