surimi

noun

su·​ri·​mi su̇-ˈrē-mē How to pronounce surimi (audio)
: a fish product made from inexpensive whitefish and often processed to resemble more expensive seafood (such as crabmeat)

Examples of surimi in a Sentence

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.
Kanikama is the word used for surimi or imitation crab in Japan. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2022 Most fish is sold by processors as headed/gutted whole fish (41%) followed by fillets (20%), surimi (13%) , roe (10%), canned (5%) and only 3% for meal/oils. Anchorage Daily News, 28 Jan. 2020 Other favorites include a crab pie with crab sauce, mozzarella and surimi, a vodka pie with tomato vodka cream sauce and a mix of Italian cheeses, and a Staten Island pie with meatballs, red onion and ricotta. Leeanne Griffin, courant.com, 10 Dec. 2019 Later, when surimi became widely available, sushi counters substituted the cheap processed fish sticks for king crab. Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2019 See All Example Sentences for surimi

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, chopped meat or fish

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of surimi was in 1973

Cite this Entry

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

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