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

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

Ajinomoto, which means “essence of flavor”, built its food empire on the discovery of umami and commercialized the so-called fifth taste in its purest form as monosodium glutamate, a “flavor bomb” used by cooks worldwide.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

I landed on a blend: Parmesan for salt and umami and that quiet architectural integrity; Pepper Jack for melt and a soft, lingering heat that hums instead of shouts.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

Sure, onions add plenty of perks to a dish: texture, a hint of sweetness and plenty of umami.

From Salon • Feb. 26, 2026

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

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead