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

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

Trendy additions to the menu include the Gaucho Grinder (roast beef, chimichurri sauce) and the California Crunch (pastrami, turkey). — Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 1 Sep. 2026

The Burger Barn dresses up its patties with heaping stacks of pastrami, though the classic cheeseburger is also a crowd-pleaser. — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 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