The soybean plant or its edible seeds, widely used for food products and oil.
From Japanese 'shōyu' (soy sauce) via Dutch 'soja.' The word entered English in the 17th century through Dutch traders who encountered soybeans in East Asia, initially referring to the sauce before extending to the bean itself.
The word traveled from Japan to Europe to the Americas, following trade routes and transforming from a condiment name to a crop designation. Soya is the preferred British spelling, while Americans typically use 'soy,' reflecting different colonial influences on language.
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