pastrami

noun

pas·​tra·​mi pə-ˈsträ-mē How to pronounce pastrami (audio)
variants or less commonly pastromi
: a highly seasoned smoked beef prepared especially from shoulder cuts

Examples of pastrami in a Sentence

He ordered a pastrami sandwich.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Popular menu items include corned beef, roast beef, pastrami, salami and steak sandwiches, salads and desserts. Bahar Anooshahr, AZCentral.com, 1 Sep. 2025 The iconic Katz's Delicatessen in New York City displayed the former president’s order, which consisted of two hot dogs, a pastrami sandwich, fries, a diet ginger ale and a decaf coffee, according to photos of the display. Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025 Besides pizza and bagels and lox and pastrami, cheesecake is right up there on the list of iconic New York bites New Yorkers take very seriously. Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 The pastrami is stacked on top of a Double R beef burger and is accompanied by sauerkraut, pickles in creamy Thousand Island dressing and melted Swiss cheese. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pastrami

Word History

Etymology

Yiddish pastrame, from Romanian pastramă pressed and cured meat

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pastrami was in 1895

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pastrami.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pastrami. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

pastrami

noun
pas·​tra·​mi pə-ˈsträm-ē How to pronounce pastrami (audio)
: a highly seasoned smoked beef
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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