monosodium glutamate

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a white, crystalline, water-soluble powder, C 5 H 8 NNaO 4 ⋅H 2 O, used to intensify the flavor of foods.

---

monosodium glutamate British  

/ ˌmɒnəʊˈsəʊdɪəm /

noun

1. Also called: sodium glutamate.   MSG.  a white crystalline substance, the sodium salt of glutamic acid, that has little flavour itself but enhances the flavour of proteins either by increasing the amount of saliva produced in the mouth or by stimulating the taste buds: used as a food additive, esp in Chinese foods. Formula: NaC 5 H 8 O 4

---

monosodium glutamate Scientific  

/ mŏn′ə-sō′dē-əmglo̅o̅′tə-māt′ /

1. A white, crystalline salt used to flavor food, especially in China and Japan. It occurs naturally in tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and seaweed. Chemical formula: C ₅ H ₈ NNaO ₄ .

---

Etymology

Origin of monosodium glutamate

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Other ingredients include salt, monosodium glutamate, cornstarch and beta carotene for color.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

"Carrageenan, riboflavin, monosodium glutamate and 20 others that I can’t pronounce," he said, as one of the "MAHA moms" gravely intoned, "that stuff's really bad."

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2025

Examples that can be found around us include various amino acids, including monosodium glutamate, food proteins, enzymes, flavoring compounds, food colorings, and bioactive substances.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2024

It is one of the world’s largest producers of monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer.

From Washington Times • Feb. 1, 2023

Many moderns who have found that monosodium glutamate steps up the flavor of natural cheese, put it in at the start, using one-half teaspoon for each cup of grated Cheddar.

From The Complete Book of Cheese by Brown, Robert Carlton