umami

American  

[oo-mah-mee] / uˈmɑ mi /

noun

1. a strong meaty taste imparted by glutamate and certain other amino acids: often considered to be one of the basic taste sensations along with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.

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Etymology

Origin of umami

First recorded in 1960–65; from Japanese: literally, “savory quality, delicious taste,” equivalent to uma-, the inflectional stem of umai “(to be) delicious” + -mi, a suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives

Example Sentences

The unique blend from Yame, Japan, has a nutty taste, umami finish and comes in a bright orange tin.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

In his rare blend, which ages for four years, umami lingers, not saltiness, and the barrels’ microorganisms lend to the complex taste.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

For me, it was a combination of umami and lemon—salty, savory, a little sharp.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

While our perception of salt, sweet and sour is reduced in the presence of white noise, umami is not, and tomatoes, and tomato juice is rich in umami.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

I end up telling them about how we’re studying taste in science, and about umami.

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead