omakase

C2 Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˌoʊməˈkɑseɪ/ UK /ˌəʊməˈkɑːseɪ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a Japanese dining experience in which the chef chooses the dishes

We had an amazing omakase at the sushi restaurant.
2

noun
the practice of trusting the chef to decide the meal, leaving the selection to their expertise

Omakase is a great way to try new and unexpected flavors.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a japanese dining... chef's choicetasting menuset menu

2 noun · the practice of trusting... chef's selectionfood ritualculinary tradition

Opposites

à la carte

Etymology

From Japanese o- (honorific) plus makase ('to leave'), forming omakase ('I leave it to you'); borrowed into modern English to mean leaving the food selection to the chef's expertise.

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# omakase

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌoʊməˈkɑseɪ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌəʊməˈkɑːseɪ/

## Meanings
1. a Japanese dining experience in which the chef chooses the dishes
2. the practice of trusting the chef to decide the meal, leaving the selection to their expertise

## Examples
- We had an amazing omakase at the sushi restaurant.
- Omakase is a great way to try new and unexpected flavors.

## Synonyms
- chef's choice
- tasting menu
- set menu
- chef's selection
- food ritual
- culinary tradition

## Antonyms
- à la carte

## Etymology
From Japanese o- (honorific) plus makase ('to leave'), forming omakase ('I leave it to you'); borrowed into modern English to mean leaving the food selection to the chef's expertise.

## AI Etymology
Omakase comes from Japanese o- (honorific) plus makase ('to leave'), forming omakase ('I leave it to you'); borrowed into modern English to mean leaving the food selection to the chef's expertise. In current use it is a noun and verb meaning "a Japanese dining experience in which the chef chooses the dishes". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The surface form is compositional: its joined elements remain visible in the modern word. The word's history is thus visible in its construction: the components remain interpretable even after the whole expression has settled into a conventional English meaning.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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