maki

noun

ma·​ki ˈmä-kē 

plural maki also makis

: sushi roll

Unlike the spicy tuna maki that are tightly rolled up with a bamboo mat and then sliced into six or eight tidy drums compressed inside a skin of nori, temaki are shaped by fingers and palms, without the aid of any tool.

—Pete Wells

Examples of maki in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Aegean Dragon maki ($23), for example, combines shrimp tempura with criollo relish and harissa, while the Kataifi ($33) wraps tuna and melon in shredded pastry. — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Beautifully plated maki and sashimi anchor the menu alongside yakitori skewers and splurge-worthy sushi boxes to share. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 8 May 2026

At 99 Sushi, a brand born in Spain with a Michelin star for its Abu Dhabi outpost, nigiri and maki are made to order at the sushi counter, and the à la carte menu features tempura, teriyaki tuna and beef grilled on volcanic stones. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026

Norwegian maki with spicy scallop, cucumber and salmon. — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

short for Japanese makizushi, from maki-, form in combination of maku "roll, roll up" + -zushi, form in combination of sushi sushi

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for maki

• blocky
• chalky
• cocky
• gawky
• hockey
• jockey
• khaki
• machi
• rocky
• stocky
• talkie
• walkie