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Food
Japanese

umami

oo-MAH-mee

uːˈmɑːmi

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Syllable breakdown

umami

Sounds like

Say 'oo-MAH-mee'.

Dictionary meaning

A savoury taste that is one of the five basic tastes.

History and origin

Japanese — 'delicious flavour'.

Examples

  • The chef added a splash of fish sauce to give the dish that elusive umami depth.

Common mispronunciations

yoo-MAH-meeoo-MA-mee

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