tatami

noun

ta·​ta·​mi tä-ˈtä-mē 

ta-

plural tatami or tatamis

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

Examples of tatami in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Materials like tatami mats, cedar wood, bamboo, paper and granite combine to form a harmonious minimalist aesthetic that simultaneously feels traditional and modern. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

The two-floor structure welcomes you in with a main level equipped with a full kitchen, two bathrooms, and a tatami room that converts into a spare bedroom. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 23 Apr. 2026

The kitchen of the restaurant is crawling with maggots, the damp eats away at the tatami mats and wallpaper decorated with a design of a forest landscape. —Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 6 Apr. 2026

The 1,108-square-foot Yasaka Suite, with its warm woods and greens, won me over for its original architectural details, but the Imperial Suite has a massive terrace with a private tatami gazebo. —Leandra Beabout, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tatami

• salami
• thalami
• tsunami
• balmy
• brahmi
• commie
• mommy
• palmy
• rami
• saami
• swami
• swamy