SOY Meaning of SOY in English n. (also soya) 1. (also soy sauce) a sauce made in Japan and China from pickled soya beans. 2 (in full soy bean) soya bean. Etymology: Jap. sho-yu f. Chin. shi-you f. shi salted beans + you oil Oxford English vocab. Оксфордский английский словарь. 2012