matsutake

noun

mat·​su·​ta·​ke ˌmät-su̇-ˈtä-kē 

-kā

plural matsutake also matsutakes

: a large brownish edible Japanese mushroom (Tricholoma matsutake) having firm flesh and a spicy aroma

also : a large whitish mushroom (Tricholoma magnivelere synonym Armillaria ponderosa) of northern North America that is similar to the Japanese matsutake

Examples of matsutake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

All across Northern California, diners feasted on matsutake in countless forms. — Becky Duffett, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2026

For years, China has been one of the world’s largest suppliers of a rare delicacy — the matsutake mushroom. — Lyric Li, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2022

Her 2014 feature debut, The Last Season, follows two former soldiers who forage matsutake mushrooms in Oregon and earned her a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination. — Katherine Cusumano, Outside Online, 15 July 2022

But the standout at Brady Ishiwata Williams’s new restaurant is his chawanmushi—silky and savory, perfectly set, and crowned with matsutake slices. — Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 30 Dec. 2021

Aromatically, this wine is earthy, with scents of dark plums, matsutake mushrooms, and wild roses. — oregonlive, 9 Apr. 2020

The new restaurant’s name, Matsu, was inspired by matsutake mushrooms, which are pine mushrooms that are native to Japan but grow wild in Southern California forests. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2019

The little white mushroom isn’t valuable, but exports of other fungi, including matsutake and porcinis, are a major source of income for Yunnan’s native people; fears of barium poisoning could hurt the region’s economy. — Jennifer Abbasi, Discover Magazine, 7 Aug. 2013

Word History

Etymology

Japanese matsu-take, matsudake, from matsu pine tree + take mushroom

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for matsutake

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