pastrami

noun

pas·​tra·​mi pə-ˈsträ-mē 

variants or less commonly pastromi

: a highly seasoned smoked beef prepared especially from shoulder cuts

Examples of pastrami in a Sentence

He ordered a pastrami sandwich.

Recent Examples on the Web

Gertrude’s, down the street, is a playful bistro with duck pastrami and challah-bread Parker House rolls. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026

For The Times) Greenspan claims somewhat less creative license with more traditional deli staples, though bagels, pastrami and knishes still stand firmly at the nexus of old Jewish traditions and Greenspan’s chef-y tendencies. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

For years, the two joints were fierce competitors during the city's pastrami wars. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026

Those perfectly pungent elements rip through the savory pastrami perfectly, infusing every bite with a slightly prickly tang. — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Yiddish pastrame, from Romanian pastramă pressed and cured meat

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pastrami

• salami
• tatami
• thalami
• tsunami
• balmy
• brahmi
• commie
• mommy
• palmy
• rami
• saami
• swami

Kids Definition

pastrami

noun

pas·​tra·​mi pə-ˈsträm-ē 

: a highly seasoned smoked beef