umami

1 of 2

noun

uma·​mi ü-ˈmä-mē 

: the taste sensation that is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (such as glutamate and aspartate) and has a rich or meaty flavor characteristic of cheese, cooked meat, mushrooms, soy, and ripe tomatoes : savory entry 2 sense 2

Umami is often described as a meaty flavor and is particularly strong in aged or fermented products, like cheese and wine.

—Carla Ranicki

compare bitter entry 2 sense 1b, salty entry 2 sense 1b, sour entry 2 sense 1b, sweet entry 3 sense 2

umami

2 of 2

adjective

: being, inducing, or marked by one of the five basic taste sensations that is typically induced by several amino acids and nucleotides (such as glutamate and aspartate) and has a rich or meaty flavor characteristic of cheese, cooked meat, mushrooms, soy, and ripe tomatoes

A crab risotto made from local crabs is powerful with the big umami flavor of brown meat.

—Jay Rayner

: savory entry 1 sense e compare bitter entry 1 sense 1a, salty entry 1 sense 1b, sour entry 1 sense 1, sweet entry 1 sense 1

Did you know?

A Japanese scientist was the first to discover the savory taste of the amino acid glutamic acid, which was found to occur in soup stocks made with seaweed. This fifth basic taste—alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter—was named umami, meaning "savoriness" in Japanese. Umami can be experienced in foods such as mushrooms, anchovies, and mature cheeses, as well as in foods enhanced with monosodium glutamate, or MSG, a sodium salt derived from glutamic acid.

Examples of umami in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This take combines the best elements of those two: the aromatics of the gin and the umami of the fish sauce (fish sauce doesn’t actually taste like fish, just like Clamato doesn’t actually taste like clam). —Jeff Burkhart, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024

The flesh shrinks and drops about 20 percent of its weight, creating meat with rich umami. —Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024

It’s been sampled, imitated and injected into hip-hop — a sort of R&B umami. —Elahe Izadi, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024

Sharp cheddar is the star of these savory cookies, bringing a welcome hit of umami. —Jamila Robinson, Bon Appétit, 1 Dec. 2023

Two of the island’s best gelaterias, Il Gelato di Ulisse and Katia, each offer a dark chocolate with capers combo that bursts with bitter-salty-sweet umami. —Laura Van Straaten, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2023

Even without the pork, the umami of the broth is all-encompassing, in the sesame, the miso and the slow burn from the tobanjan. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2023

The salty umami of miso combined with the sweetness of the squash and maple syrup result in a beautifully balanced bowl of soup. —Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 16 Oct. 2023

And with subtle umami from the naturally occurring MSG in tomatoes, this drink has surprising depth and richness. —Antara Sinha, Bon Appétit, 7 Aug. 2023

Adjective

Mushroom powder plus layers of garlic and onion give our crisp a savory deliciousness… every jar is a perfect balance of sweetness, spice, umami, and of course crunch. —Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024

This process coaxes and caramelizes the sugars from the shallots and garlic and creates umami without the help of fish sauce or snails. —Diep Tran, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024

This sauce is slightly spicy and ketchup-forward, with lots of umami from the Worcestershire sauce. —Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024

And post-bake, a dusting of parmesan will enhance the umami notes. —Jessie Sheehan, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024

The mushrooms add a deep umami flavor along with moisture. —Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2024

The stock adds welcome umami richness and depth of flavor. —Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2024

What distinguishes a Bloody Bull is a spoonful of beef broth concentrate that adds savory umami flavor without watering down the other ingredients. —Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2024

Below are some of our favorite recipes from our archives that get spicy, umami twist from one of our favorite pantry items. —Anna Rodriguez, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Japanese, savoriness, flavor

First Known Use

Noun

1963, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1978, in the meaning defined above

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Medical Definition

umami

noun

uma·​mi ü-ˈmä-mē 

: a taste sensation that is meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (as aspartate, inosinate, and glutamate)

umami adjective