soda
Americannoun
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sodium, as in carbonate of soda.
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a drink made with soda water, flavoring, such as fruit or other syrups, and often ice cream, milk, etc.
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(in faro) the card turned up in the dealing box before one begins to play.
noun
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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 )
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See soda water
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a fizzy drink
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the top card of the pack in faro
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slang something easily done; a pushover
Regionalisms
See soda pop.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
MarketWatch Picks: Poppi’s co-founders — who sold their soda company for $1.95 billion — say this is their biggest financial mistake.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 18, 2026
Even though Freddy is somewhat of an international celebrity now, he’s still just like us — and also gets overwhelmed by those digital Coca Cola machines with what feels like a hundred soda options.
From Salon • Jun. 17, 2026
Franchisees made less money off bottled drinks than fountain soda.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
Season 4 winner Rob Rausch, who signed with UTA in March, has partnered with brands like DoorDash and Sonic and appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for Poppi soda.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
She went to her bag and pulled out a can, like a soda can but with a picture of a puppy on it.
From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
