tatami

noun

ta·​ta·​mi tä-ˈtä-mē 

ta-

plural tatami or tatamis

: straw matting used as a floor covering in a Japanese home

Examples of tatami in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The hotel’s 42 guest rooms–all of which have balconies with city views, soft furnishings made from upcycled kimonos and sakiori weavings, parquet flooring inspired by tatami patterns and Nagoya tiles in the bathrooms–occupy two additional floors below the club spaces. —Terry Ward, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2026

Materials like tatami mats, cedar wood, bamboo, paper and granite combine to form a harmonious minimalist aesthetic that simultaneously feels traditional and modern. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

The two-floor structure welcomes you in with a main level equipped with a full kitchen, two bathrooms, and a tatami room that converts into a spare bedroom. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 23 Apr. 2026

The kitchen of the restaurant is crawling with maggots, the damp eats away at the tatami mats and wallpaper decorated with a design of a forest landscape. —Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tatami

• salami
• thalami
• tsunami
• balmy
• brahmi
• commie
• mommy
• palmy
• rami
• saami
• swami
• swamy