umami

[oo-mah-mee]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of umami¹

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

Roasted lobster shells give this infused French grapeseed oil delicate umami flavor and gorgeous color.

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But for me, the start of the show is uni mentaiko rice — an umami bomb with truffled mayo, seaweed, tobiko and a healthy amount of uni.

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Knowing the Queen Dowager has long sought a doenjang-guk that tastes like her late mother’s, Yeon realizes that clams would add that mystery umami that only people who were raised near the Seomjin River or Nakdong River would have accessed.

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You get a hint of cardamom contrasting matcha’s grassy, umami and slightly bitter notes.

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Creamy, sweet and packed with umami, this cheese is absolutely delectable crumbled in your favorite salads and paired with fresh fruits and preserved meats.

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