Ajinomoto

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A well-known brand that specializes in the production of flavor-enhancing food additives, particularly monosodium glutamate
2. A prominent name in the food sector, identified for its manufacturing of a popular seasoning that intensifies savory flavors
3. A company recognized for making a seasoning product that enhances umami or savory taste in foods

Etymology: Ajinomoto is a Japanese brand name, and its Japanese form, 味の素, is built from three characters: "aji" (味), meaning taste or flavour, and "moto" (素), meaning essence, base or source. The name thus translates roughly as "essence of taste," which fits the product's purpose of boosting savoury flavour. The company's seasoning was based on monosodium glutamate, a compound first isolated from seaweed broth by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda, who identified the distinctive savoury taste he named "umami." The brand took its name from that taste, so the word is a commercial coinage that became a common name for the seasoning itself in many English-speaking countries. The shift from a company name to a generic noun is what makes the word notable. People ask for "ajinomoto" in the same way others ask for a tissue or a hoover, using the brand as a stand-in for the entire category of product.

Synonyms: MSG