n · neutral
umami
/uːˈmɑːmi/u·MA·mi
Band 7+speakingtask2
A savoury taste often described as meaty or brothy; called the 'fifth' basic taste.
Examples
“Mushrooms add umami to vegetarian dishes.”
“The broth had a powerful umami taste.”
“Soy sauce is commonly used to boost umami.”
Band 8 sentence
“A careful chef will layer ingredients to build umami, creating depth in what might otherwise be a flat dish.”
Collocations
- umami flavour
- umami-rich broth
Word family
umami numami-rich adj
Common mistakes
savory→umami
tasty→umami
Say it for a higher band
5tasty→6savory→7+umami
Synonyms
savory
Easily confused
savory
“I prefer savory snacks like roasted nuts to sweet ones.”
Related words
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In Food & Cooking
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