soda

American  

[soh-duh] / ˈsoʊ də /

noun

1. sodium hydroxide.

2. sodium monoxide.

3. sodium carbonate.

4. sodium, as in carbonate of soda.

5. soda water.

6. a drink made with soda water, flavoring, such as fruit or other syrups, and often ice cream, milk, etc.

7. soda pop.

8. (in faro) the card turned up in the dealing box before one begins to play.

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soda British  

/ ˈsəʊdə /

noun

1. any of a number of simple inorganic compounds of sodium, such as sodium carbonate ( washing soda ), sodium bicarbonate ( baking soda ), and sodium hydroxide ( caustic soda )

2. See soda water

3. a fizzy drink

4. the top card of the pack in faro

5. slang something easily done; a pushover

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Regionalisms

See soda pop.

Other Word Forms

• sodaless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of soda

1550–60; (< Italian ) < Medieval Latin < Arabic suwwādah kind of plant; compare Middle French soulde, soude

Explanation

In many parts of the U.S., soda is a sweet, fizzy drink. There are also some places where you'd call soda "pop," a "soft drink," or "Coke" instead. While you may think of soda as something you order to drink at a restaurant, soda is also used for unflavored carbonated water, or seltzer, and for baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate. There's also sodium carbonate, or "washing soda," which is an ingredient in powdered soap and used to make some types of glass. This kind of soda was originally used to carbonate water, which led to the use of soda to mean "carbonated drink."

Example Sentences

A chemical, thought to be caustic soda, is understood to have entered the water at the Knockando burn, which flows into the River Spey, in the last few days.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

Before that, he spent more than three decades working in soda, snacks and food service at PepsiCo.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Utah-based chain Swig — with some amplification from social media —helped make dirty soda a hit, as a story from Eater noted last year.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

Investors are closely watching whether the soda giant—one of the market’s most reliable defensive stocks—can keep delivering steady growth as it navigates inflation and evolving consumer tastes.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

The soda and bubbly water are still in the fridge in the garage.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Related Words

• drink