Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for kombu. Search instead for kombus.

kombu

American  
[kohm-boo] / ˈkoʊm bu /
Or konbu

noun

  1. a brown Japanese seaweed, sun-dried before use in sushi, stocks, etc.


kombu British  
/ ˈkɒmbuː /

noun

  1. a dark brown seaweed of the genus Laminaria (class Phaeophyceae) the leaves of which are dried and used esp in Japanese cookery

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of kombu

C19: Japanese


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

People assume it's rubbery, but that's Pacific kelp - Japanese kombu.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026

In this recipe at Food & Wine, David Chang "pulverizes the kombu to a powder and blends it with softened butter to baste striped bass fillets."

From Salon ● May 14, 2024

There are four broths to choose from for soup: kombu, sukiyaki, creamy vegetable and spicy miso.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 9, 2023

One of the most famous seaweed dishes is a Japanese specialty called dashi, which is a soup broth made from Japanese kombu seaweed.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2022

She likes to add a small piece of kombu to her rice while it cooks, and sometimes seasons the cooked rice with fresh ginger, a splash of sake, toasted sesame seeds or minced herbs.

From Washington Post ● May 5, 2022

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com