Meaning & use
Soho
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Meanings
proper nounproperBritish
A lively area of central London famous for its restaurants, bars, theaters, and film and media companies.
Grammar: A proper name with no article: we met in Soho, not in the Soho.
Patterns
- in Soho
- a Soho restaurant
We had dinner in a small Italian restaurant in Soho.
Many film editing studios are based in Soho.
On Friday nights, Soho is crowded with people heading to bars and shows.
proper nounproperAmerican
A fashionable district of lower Manhattan in New York City, known for its cast-iron buildings, galleries, and shops, often written SoHo.
Grammar: A proper name with no article, usually written SoHo in the American sense.
Patterns
- in SoHo
- a SoHo loft
She bought a jacket from a boutique in SoHo.
Artists once rented cheap lofts in SoHo before prices rose.
We walked through the cobbled streets of SoHo after the gallery opening.
Common combinations
- in Soho
- Her office is in Soho, near a cinema.
- Soho Square
- We ate our sandwiches in Soho Square.
- a Soho restaurant
- A Soho restaurant gave him his first job.
- Soho club
- The band played at a Soho club.
- Soho nightlife
- Soho nightlife attracts both locals and tourists.
Word family
- SoHo proper noun
- the district of lower Manhattan, named after the London one
- NoHo proper noun
- the area north of Houston Street in Manhattan
- Sohoite noun
- a rare word for someone who lives or spends time in Soho
Commonly confused: Soho or SoHo?
Soho vs SoHo
With a capital H, SoHo normally means the district of Manhattan, which got its name by shortening 'South of Houston Street'. The London district is spelled Soho.
Practice
Which sentence correctly refers to the area of London known for theaters and nightlife?
Choose one answer.
Place names like Soho take no article and are used with in. 'In the Soho' adds an unneeded article, and the other prepositions are unnatural for a district.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Soho”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.