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Definition of seitan

seitan

/ˈseɪ.tæn/
sei · tan
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seitan Lexical Profile

seitan Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A high-protein vegetarian food made from cooked wheat gluten, characterized by a dense, chewy texture that closely resembles meat.

Example

"For dinner, she prepared a savory stir-fry using strips of seitan instead of traditional beef."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for seitan
Antonyms
View all antonyms for seitan

Word Nuance & Usage

Unlike tofu or tempeh which are soy-based, seitan is derived entirely from hydrated wheat gluten, making it strictly unsuitable for individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

• Nearby Words

seismological
seismologist
seismology
seitan
seizable
seize
seizer

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1961 by George Ohsawa, the Japanese founder of the macrobiotic diet, likely from Japanese 'sei' (made of, proper, or plant) and 'tan' (the first character of 'tanpaku', meaning protein).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Seitan. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/seitan
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