noun
shiitake
shi-TAH-kay
Shiitake (noun) means a wide, brown edible mushroom, Lentinula edodes. Example: “She fried the shiitake in butter and garlic.”
noun
1
A wide, brown edible mushroom, Lentinula edodes.
"She fried the shiitake in butter and garlic."
"The soup was topped with sliced shiitake mushrooms."
"Dried shiitakes need soaking before they go into the pot."
How to use shiitake
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA meaty brown mushroom popular in cooking, especially in East Asian dishes.
When to use it
It is a neutral, everyday word used in recipes and menus.
Memory tip
Both shiitake and shiitakes work as the plural, so either is fine.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
dried shiitake
shiitake mushrooms
shiitake broth
fresh shiitake
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She fried the _____ in butter and garlic.
Etymology
Shiitake comes from Japanese, where it combines shii, a word for the chinquapin tree, with take, meaning mushroom, since the mushroom typically grows on chinquapin logs. The word was first recorded in English in 1877.
Synonyms
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Chinese mushroom
Rhymes for shiitake
See all rhymes for shiitake →Frequently asked questions
What is a shiitake mushroom?
It is a brown mushroom, Lentinula edodes, widely used in Japanese and other East Asian cooking.
Is shiitake the same as shitake?
Yes, shitake is simply an alternative spelling of the same word.
Where does the word shiitake come from?
It comes from Japanese, referring to the chinquapin logs the mushroom grows on plus the word for mushroom, take.
What is the meaning of shiitake?
"shiitake" (noun) means a wide, brown edible mushroom, Lentinula edodes.
