tatami

noun ta·ta·mi \ tä-ˈtä-mē , ta- \

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

In Japan, this principle meant the widespread use of tatami -- floor mats made from rice straw.

— georgia mccafferty, CNN, "Hanok homes: South Korean architects look to the past in their push to modernize," 20 June 2017
Also in Shima, the rustic Hiogiso is a dockside ryokan with a cypress onsen and tatami-floor guest rooms.

— adam h. graham, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Ise-Shima Peninsula Is a Portal Into Old Japan," 2 June 2017
This is a traditional Japanese guesthouse with three rooms to rent, each with futons and tatami mats.

— the washington post, The Denver Post, "An enlightening overnight, including cordial deer, in Nara, Japan," 23 Feb. 2017
The son of a dirt-poor weaver of tatami mats, Asahara attended a boarding school for the blind.

— david e. kaplan and andrew marshall, WIRED, "The Cult at the End of the World," 1 July 1996

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.

Origin and Etymology of tatami

Japanese

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First Known Use: 1614

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tatami

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