Meanings
- uncountableA mildly spiced pumpkin soup originating in Haiti and traditionally consumed on New Year's Day to mark Haitian independence.
In her right hand she holds the cup of soup joumou.
2014, Ted Oswald, “Independence Day”, in Because We Are: A Novel of Haiti, Seattle, Wash.: Thomas & Mercer, →ISBN, page 802 more examples
Kitchens turn out gallons of soup joumou, a pumpkin soup once enjoyed only by rich French merchants and planters, but claimed as their own by former slaves after independence.
1988 December 9–15, WQ, “Christmas tradition in Haiti”, in Richard M. Gaines, editor, The Boston Phoenix, volume XVII, number 50, Boston, Mass.: Boston Phoenix Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, section 4, page 6, column 1Most Haitians eat soup joumou on the first of the year, on the anniversary of Haitian Independence Day.
2016, Edwidge Danticat, “Soup Joumou”, in Natalie Eve Garrett, editor, The Artists’ and Writers’ Cookbook: A Collection of Stories with Recipes, Brooklyn, N.Y.: powerHouse Books, →ISBN, “Soups & Salads” section, page 41, column 1Synonyms: joumou
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA mildly spiced pumpkin soup originating in Haiti and traditionally consumed on New Year's Day to mark Haitian independence.
Origin
Partial calque of French soupe au giraumon (literally “pumpkin soup”).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
soup joumou. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/soup%20joumou
“soup joumou.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/soup%20joumou. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “soup joumou,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/soup%20joumou.
Source: soup joumou on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.