noun

umami

oo-MAH-mee

Umami (noun) means the savoury, meaty, mouth-filling taste found in foods such as parmesan, soy sauce, mushrooms, anchovies and ripe tomatoes, recognised as one of the basic tastes alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Example: “A spoonful of miso adds a depth of umami that salt alone cannot give.”

noun

The savoury, meaty, mouth-filling taste found in foods such as parmesan, soy sauce, mushrooms, anchovies and ripe tomatoes, recognised as one of the basic tastes alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter.

"A spoonful of miso adds a depth of umami that salt alone cannot give."

"Slow-roasting the tomatoes concentrates their umami."

adjective

informal Having a rich savoury flavour of this kind.

"The broth was dark, glossy and intensely umami."

How to Use Umami

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe deep savoury taste you get from things like parmesan, soy sauce and mushrooms.

When to use it

Now fully naturalised in English food writing and everyday cooking talk.

Memory tip

Pronounce it with the stress on the middle syllable: oo-MAH-mee, not YOO-ma-mee.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

MSG → savoury saltiness

Common pairings

umami bomb rich in umami umami flavour savoury umami depth

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “umami” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

A spoonful of miso adds a depth of _____ that salt alone cannot give.

Etymology

From Japanese umami, from umai 'delicious' and mi 'taste'.

Origin: Japanese

Synonyms

View more →

savouriness savoury taste meatiness

Related Words

savour

Rhymes for umami

Ami kami Sami cami mami Rami Tami Yami swami Miami salami Minami

See all rhymes for umami →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between umami and salty?

Salty comes from sodium and hits the tongue sharply and immediately. Umami comes mainly from glutamates and certain nucleotides, and gives a rounder, longer-lasting, mouth-coating savouriness. A dish can be very umami and barely salty, as an unsalted mushroom stock shows.

What foods are highest in umami?

Aged and fermented things top the list: parmesan and other hard cheeses, soy sauce, fish sauce, miso, cured ham, dried shiitake, kombu seaweed, anchovies, Marmite and cooked tomatoes. Combining two sources, such as kombu and dried bonito in dashi, multiplies the effect.

Is umami the same as MSG?

Not quite. MSG, monosodium glutamate, is one purified source of the glutamate that produces the umami taste, but the taste itself occurs naturally in a huge range of foods. Umami is the sensation; MSG is one ingredient that delivers it.

People Also Searched

savour