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

Top them on warm, buttered toast for a hearty breakfast or on pizza for a kick of umami.

From Salon • May 1, 2026

The unique blend from Yame, Japan, has a nutty taste, umami finish and comes in a bright orange tin.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Hokkaido uni has a deeper, more briny umami flavor than the Santa Barbara variety often served when the type isn’t specified.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026

While our perception of salt, sweet and sour is reduced in the presence of white noise, umami is not, and tomatoes, and tomato juice is rich in umami.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

Mr. Landau tells her to think of umami as meaning “delicious.”

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead