wasabi

noun

wa·​sa·​bi wä-ˈsä-bē 

wə-ˈsä-;

ˈwä-sə-bē 

1

: a condiment that is prepared from the ground thick pungent greenish rhizome of an Asian herb (Eutrema japonicum synonym Wasabia japonica) of the mustard family and is similar in flavor and use to horseradish

also : the rhizome

2

: the herb that yields wasabi

Examples of wasabi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Raph and Grant keep tasting wasabi Oreos, with Raph shrieking and Grant grimacing. —Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026

But that buttery soft fish and sticky rice is often mixed with a rainbow of other flavors, from spicy wasabi to salty and savory soy sauce. —Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

The cocktails, on the other hand (which also rotate), take Japanese ingredients like wasabi and shisho and give them a twist with umeshu (plum wine or liqueur) and liqueur de café for an inventive take on an espresso martini. —Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026

Here, up to 20 courses are prepared with ritual precision, from seafood treated with the ikejime (humane fish-slaughtering) method, to rice and wasabi sourced from long-standing Japanese suppliers. —Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 10 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for wasabi

• panjabi
• punjabi
• wahhabi
• bobbie
• bobby
• hobby
• knobby
• lobby
• nabi
• nobby