tatami

noun ta·ta·mi \ tä-ˈtä-mē , ta- \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Definition of tatami

plural tatami or tatamis

: straw matting used as a floor covering in a Japanese home

Recent Examples of tatami from the Web

Watching sumo requires that visitors sit on tatami mats and are absolutely still and silent for approximately two hours.

— scott gilman, Town & Country, "How to Plan a Trip to Japan," 5 Oct. 2016
Team members, aware of Wright’s interest in Japanese aesthetics, also tested proportions based on the dimensions of a traditional tatami mat to fill in the gaps in the Banff drawing.

— vipal monga, WSJ, "The Quest to Recover a Lost Frank Lloyd Wright Building," 30 May 2018
The style of the property is traditional; tatami mats cover the floors, and most guests wear yukatas (a casual kimono) and tabi socks provided daily by the hotel.

— jo rodgers, Vogue, "Cherry Blossoms and Beyond: Go on a Nature Meditation in Japan," 29 Apr. 2018
Also lovingly displayed is the low tripod that Ozu used to shoot, as if from the point of view of a person seated on a tatami mat and participating in the scene.

— peter keough, BostonGlobe.com, "‘In Search of Ozu’ ponders a great director’s being and ‘nothingness’," 19 Apr. 2018
Designing on a budget, Taminiau went for space, efficiency, practicality, and comfort—which is where the tatami mats came in.

— lauren ro, Curbed, "This houseboat doesn’t look like a houseboat at all," 27 Mar. 2018
Designed for himself and his family, the box-like home features clean, minimalist interiors inspired by traditional Japanese tatami rooms, with nary a nautical trope in sight.

— lauren ro, Curbed, "This houseboat doesn’t look like a houseboat at all," 27 Mar. 2018
The central sushi bar has been removed, and a sunken tatami table has been added as the new focal point.

— courtney dabney, star-telegram, "Piranha kills it with ramen, too, in an inviting, remodeled space in Arlington | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 16 Mar. 2018
Ponder your new purchase away from the South Congress crowds at Sa Tén's tatami room (a common place of comfort in Japanese culture).

— alexandra misch, Esquire, "The Best Restaurants and Bars to Hit Up in Austin During SXSW," 1 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tatami.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.