wakame

[ wuh-kah-mee; Japanese wah-kah-me ]

noun

1. a brown seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida, of coastal Japan, Korea, etc., growing in coarse, stringy clumps and usually dried for use in Asian soups, salads, and side dishes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of wakame¹

First recorded in 1950–55; from Japanese wakame, perhaps from waka “young” + me “edible seaweed” (compare mo “seaweed”)