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

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

The business also has a location at Madison Square Garden and a seasonal pop-up at the US Open, as well as selling its beef, pastrami and cheesecakes online, through FreshDirect and at select grocery stores. — Lincoln Anderson, New York Daily News, 22 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