matsutake

noun

mat·​su·​ta·​ke ˌmät-su̇-ˈtä-kē How to pronounce matsutake (audio)
-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 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 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 Yunnan province, the matsutake is sold for about $70 a pound — still much cheaper than most Japanese varieties, though prices have doubled in the past 12 months. 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 In the Cascade Mountains, porcinis (aka king boletes) and matsutakes (aka pine mushroom) are poking up earlier than normal too. oregonlive.com, 11 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'matsutake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of matsutake was in 1883

Dictionary Entries Near matsutake

Cite this Entry

“Matsutake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matsutake. Accessed 30 Mar. 2024.

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