Wagyu
noun
Wa·gyu
ˈwä-(ˌ)gyü 
variants
or less commonly wagyu
plural Wagyu also wagyu
1
: any of four strains of a breed of black or red Japanese cattle valued for their highly marbled meat
In the U.S., Japanese Wagyu cows have been crossbred with those of other breeds to produce unsurpassably tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef.—
Saveur
SaveurNote: Wagyu were developed in Japan in the late 1800s to 1910 by crossbreeding native cattle with European breeds.
2
or Wagyu beef
or less commonly wagyu beef
: beef from Wagyu cattle
The surface of my Wagyu was intricately laced with delicate veins of off-white fat—by laboratory measurement, three times more marbling fat than U.S. prime-grade beef, though with slightly less cholesterol.—Jeffrey Steingarten
Jeffrey SteingartenWagyu beef is tender and flavorful because of its intramuscular fat, or marbling.—Sam Gugino
compare kobe beef
Sam GuginoExamples of Wagyu in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mayan Kitchen: The $75-for-two feast offers two cocktails and four plates from a selection including Wagyu Beef Empanadas, Vegan Empanadas, Cochinita Pibil, Elotes, Queso Fundido, among others.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 30 May 2025
Notable dishes include Wagyu dumplings, papaya salad, adobo pork ribs, miso cod, chicken karaage and filet mignon.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 28 May 2025
In recent years, lunch was also available at the uptown Charlotte location for relatively quick service of an M&S Uptown Smash Burger or Wagyu Steak Frites.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2025
The menu at Element 47 at the Little Nell Hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain offers a sophisticated take on American classics such as a Wagyu burger with pineapple.
—Mindy Sink, Denver Post, 21 May 2025
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Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 30 May 2025
Notable dishes include Wagyu dumplings, papaya salad, adobo pork ribs, miso cod, chicken karaage and filet mignon.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 28 May 2025
In recent years, lunch was also available at the uptown Charlotte location for relatively quick service of an M&S Uptown Smash Burger or Wagyu Steak Frites.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2025
The menu at Element 47 at the Little Nell Hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain offers a sophisticated take on American classics such as a Wagyu burger with pineapple.
—Mindy Sink, Denver Post, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for Wagyu
Cite this Entry
“Wagyu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wagyu. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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