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Definition of umami

umami

/uːˈmɑːmi/
u · ma · mi
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umami Lexical Profile

umami Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A rich, savory taste recognized as one of the five basic taste sensations alongside sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, imparted by glutamates and nucleotides in foods such as meat, aged cheese, mushrooms, and soy sauce.

Example

"Simmering the parmesan rind in the tomato soup infuses the broth with natural umami."

Synonyms
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• adjective

1

Having a rich, savory, meaty, or brothy flavor characteristic of glutamate-rich foods.

Example

"The roasted mushrooms added a deep, umami richness to the vegetarian pasta sauce."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for umami

• Nearby Words

ultrawide
ulyanovsk
um
umami
umatilla
umatilla river
umauma

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 'umami', coined in 1908 by chemist Kikunae Ikeda from 'umai' (delicious or savory) and 'mi' (taste) after isolating glutamate from kelp broth.

Cite this Entry

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