shiitake

noun

shii·​ta·​ke shē-ˈtä-kē 

variants or less commonly shitake

: a dark Asian mushroom (Lentinula edodes of the family Omphalotaceae) widely cultivated especially on woods of the beech family for its edible flavorful tan to brown cap

Examples of shiitake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This delicious breakfast stir-fry dish pairs day-old cooked rice with shiitake mushrooms, eggs, and spinach, plus bacon and avocado. —Cathy Thomas, Mercury News, 21 May 2025

For context, a cup of cooked, shredded cabbage contains about three grams of fiber, as does a cup of cooked shiitake mushrooms. —Lizzy Briskin, SELF, 2 May 2025

While the shiitakes are cooking, remove the lemon basil (or Thai basil) leaves from the stems. —Vicky Hallett, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025

The slice of the season is Mushroom Magic, with three mushroom varieties — portobello, shiitake and button — plus sausage and mozzarella atop a parmesan-garlic sauce, said the company’s executive chef, Spencer Glenn. —Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, from shii, the Japanese chinquapin + take mushroom

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shiitake

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• eastlake
• forsake
• handshake
• headache