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

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

The taco maki, a Japanese-Mexican fusion of tacos and maki sushi, with avocado, jalapeño salsa and coriander, was simple, fresh and unique. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 12 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Ojibwa mano·mini· (manoominii), literally, "wild rice people," derivative of mano·min (manoomin) "wild rice"

Note: According to the Handbook of North American Indians, vol. 15, Northeast (Smithsonian Institution, 1978), p. 723, "the Menominee name for themselves, omɛ·ʔnomene·w is of obscure etymology but is clearly not derived from their word mano·meh 'wild rice'."

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for maki

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