soup du jour: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal/restaurant
Quick answer
What does “soup du jour” mean?
The soup that a restaurant is featuring on a particular day.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The soup that a restaurant is featuring on a particular day.
Something that is currently popular, fashionable, or being emphasized; the item of the day.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally understood in both varieties, but more commonly seen on menus in the US. In the UK, 'soup of the day' is a frequent alternative.
Connotations
Slightly more pretentious or upscale when used in the UK; standard restaurant terminology in the US.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English restaurant menus.
Grammar
How to Use “soup du jour” in a Sentence
The soup du jour is [noun phrase]I'll have the soup du jourWhat's the soup du jour?Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “soup du jour” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The soup du jour option was butternut squash.
American English
- Ask about the soup du jour specials.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; could metaphorically refer to a current popular strategy.
Academic
Very rare; only in cultural or linguistic studies of loanwords.
Everyday
Primarily in restaurant settings; occasionally in metaphorical use.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “soup du jour”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “soup du jour”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “soup du jour”
- soup de jour (incorrect preposition)
- soup du jour's (redundant possessive)
- pronouncing 'jour' as English 'journey'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a French phrase borrowed into English, used primarily in restaurant contexts.
Yes, metaphorically to mean 'the current popular thing', e.g., 'Social media is the activism soup du jour.'
In British English: /də ˈʒʊə/. In American English: /du ˈʒʊr/. The 'j' is like the 's' in 'pleasure'.
They mean the same thing. 'Soup du jour' sounds more formal or fancy, often used in upscale restaurants. 'Soup of the day' is the plain English equivalent.
The soup that a restaurant is featuring on a particular day.
Soup du jour is usually formal/restaurant in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “flavour du jour (metaphorical extension)”
- “idea du jour”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
JOURney to the restaurant for the SOUP of the JOURney (day).
Conceptual Metaphor
TEMPORARY ITEM IS A DAILY SPECIAL
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'soup du jour'?