umami
noun
uma·mi
| \ ü-ˈmä-mē
\
\
Definition of umami
(Entry 1 of 2)
: the taste sensation that is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (such as glutamate and aspartate) and has a rich or meaty flavor characteristic of cheese, cooked meat, mushrooms, soy, and ripe tomatoes : savory entry 2 sense 2
Umami is often described as a meaty flavor and is particularly strong in aged or fermented products, like cheese and wine.— Carla Ranicki
— compare bitter entry 2 sense 1b, salty entry 2 sense 1b, sour entry 2 sense 1b, sweet entry 3 sense 2
umami
adjectiveDefinition of umami (Entry 2 of 2)
: being, inducing, or marked by one of the five basic taste sensations that is typically induced by several amino acids and nucleotides (such as glutamate and aspartate) and has a rich or meaty flavor characteristic of cheese, cooked meat, mushrooms, soy, and ripe tomatoes
A crab risotto made from local crabs is powerful with the big umami flavor of brown meat.— Jay Rayner
: savory entry 1 sense e — compare bitter entry 1 sense 1a, salty entry 1 sense 1b, sour entry 1 sense 1, sweet entry 1 sense 1
Keep scrolling for more
Examples of umami in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The extreme range of flavors, from piercing vinegar to salty to sweet to barely perceptible umami, isn’t easy to recreate. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appétit, "Make This Healthier Barbecue Sauce and Put It On Everything You Grill This Summer," 16 July 2019 Aside from adding umami, salt stops some of the chemical reactions and helps the rind develop. — Marc Bona, cleveland.com, "The science of cheese: Cleveland doctor making ‘amazing’ artisanal cheeses," 26 June 2019 Shrimp is also an excellent umami, protein-rich food with loads of vitamin D, vitamin B3, and zinc. — Mareya Ibrahim, NBC News, "These shrimp skewers with chimichurri are the ultimate 'cook once, eat twice' recipe," 29 June 2019 Punch Bowl Social is hosting a Father’s Day of darts, old fashioneds ($5), shareable sides like umami bomb chips and dip, and for the early risers, the Sunday Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar Brunch. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "The Dish: Sunday is Father’s Day. Have you made your dinner reservations yet?," 11 June 2019 The weak acid provides a hit of umami, and brightens the dish’s flavors, making pankeki taste bigger and bolder than conventional pancakes. — Nicole Clausing, Sunset, "Japanese Pancakes Are the New, Highly Instagrammable Treat in Town," 22 Jan. 2018 On the opposite end of the spectrum is the umami bomb that is the hongos, a dish of sauteed wild mushrooms (brightened with a bit of sherry) crowned with a runny egg. — Phil Vettel, chicagotribune.com, "Bar Biscay review: 'Bigger box' gives mfk team more room to play," 13 Apr. 2018 The iteration at MeMe’s is everything meatloaf ought to be but too seldom is: juicy throughout, well seasoned, tasting deeply of umami and generously sauced. — Priya Krishna, WSJ, "Meatloaf Transcendent," 6 Sep. 2018 Ketchup has considerable umami, located in its saltiness and its concentrated, cooked tomato flavor. — Julia Moskin, New York Times, "Mastering Chinese-Style Ribs at Home," 9 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'umami.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for umami
umami
noun
uma·mi
| \ ü-ˈmä-mē
\
\
Medical Definition of umami
: a taste sensation that is meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (as aspartate, inosinate, and glutamate)