salami

American  

[suh-lah-mee] / səˈlɑ mi /

noun

• salamis
  plural

1. a kind of sausage, originally Italian, often flavored with garlic.

---

salami British  

/ səˈlɑːmɪ /

noun

1. a highly seasoned type of sausage, usually flavoured with garlic

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• salamis
  plural

Etymology

Origin of salami

1850–55; < Italian, plural of salame < Vulgar Latin *salāmen, equivalent to *salā ( re ) to salt + Latin -men noun suffix; see sal

Explanation

Salami is a type of cured sausage that's very common in sandwiches. This slightly spicy, salty meat is almost always served thinly sliced and is rarely heated or cooked. Salami is traditionally made from dried and fermented beef or pork, and seasoned with white pepper, garlic, salt, and herbs. It's a popular sandwich ingredient, as it's easy to slice and tastes great cold. The word salami is the plural form of the Italian salame, "spiced pork sausage," from the Latin root sal, or "salt."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

salami salamis

There’s a refrigerator case with to-go items, including a turkey sandwich, roasted cauliflower bowl, chef salad and a snack box with cheese, salami, grapes and walnuts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

"I'm going to make pigs in blankets but wrap them in salami instead of bacon, and we'll add a couple of Yorkshire puddings," he said.

From BBC ● Dec. 24, 2025

For meat, a classic hard salami and a thinner meat like prosciutto should do.

From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2025

Vachon, who long taught a class on charcuterie — “we do pâtés, terrines,” he said — was particularly proud of the dry-aging refrigerators, where salami hung.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2025

When evening came, she reached down through the grapefruit rind, the tea leaves, and the salami casing to find it, brush it clean, and transfer it to her purse.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

This trio showcases three of their standout dry-aged salamis, each one worthy of its own moment.

From Salon ● Dec. 4, 2025

Inventory management was a serious issue, our backpacks stuffed with first-aid kits, bread and salamis, just like in the game.

From The Verge ● Apr. 29, 2021

She’d stuff them with fancy mustard, salamis, aspirin and Parmesan cheese, all gifts for the locals.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 1, 2019

It is these that give salamis, bacons and cooked hams their alluring pink colour.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 1, 2018

“I have the passion of cooking, pickling, curing salamis, sausage, making wine in the fall. This is my life. I do this with my friends. It’s to my heart.”

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan