Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A district in central London, England: A city district known historically for its entertainment and nightlife, and more recently for its concentration of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.
   • A neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA: A district known for its art galleries, artist's lofts, fashionable shops, and restaurants.

Usage

• As a proper noun (place name): "Soho" is used to refer specifically to these two distinct urban neighborhoods. It is always capitalized.
  • We're going to a new restaurant in Soho tonight. (This could refer to London or New York, depending on context.)
  • Many artists used to live in the lofts of Soho, Manhattan.

Examples

• Referring to London:

  • London's Soho has been a center of the film and music industries.
  • The streets of Soho are bustling with people looking for evening entertainment.

• Referring to New York:

  • The Soho art scene was very influential in the 1970s.
  • She bought a unique piece of jewelry from a boutique in Soho.

Advanced Usage

• Cultural Reference: The name "Soho" is often used metonymically to represent the creative, fashionable, or nightlife culture associated with these areas.
  • The design of the new cafe is very Soho. (Meaning it has a trendy, urban aesthetic associated with those neighborhoods.)

Variants and Related Words

• SoHo: A common stylistic variant for the New York neighborhood, standing for "South of Houston Street." The London district does not use this capitalization.
• Sohoian (informal/nonce word): A rarely used term to describe a resident or habitué of Soho.

Synonyms

• District: area, neighborhood, quarter.
• Entertainment district: nightlife hub, theater district (context-dependent for London).

Notes on Different Meanings

• The two "Sohos" are unrelated in origin. London's Soho likely derives from a historical hunting cry ("soho!"). New York's SoHo is a classic example of a portmanteau acronym from its location "South of Houston Street."
• The word is not used as a common noun with a general meaning. It functions exclusively as a proper noun for these places.

Noun

1. a city district of central London now noted for restaurants and nightclubs
2. a district in southwestern Manhattan noted for its shops and restaurants and galleries and artist's lofts