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

Note: 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

Wagyu beef is tender and flavorful because of its intramuscular fat, or marbling.

—Sam Gugino

compare kobe beef

Examples of Wagyu in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Omnivores can choose from roasted guinea hen with wild mushrooms and cabbage or grilled Wagyu strip steak along with chickpea panelli and red-wine bordelaise. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2024

Available 12/4 for $29.99 per set Specially Selected Wagyu Ground Beef For a pound of Wagyu ground beef, this price at ALDI can't be beat. —Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 7 Dec. 2024

The result is a mouthwatering fusion — a 10-ounce Wagyu New York Strip, served with a savory mushroom sauce and complemented by charred broccoli, blending the best of both worlds in one unforgettable plate. —Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 3 Dec. 2024

Resort chefs harvest honey from the property’s own hives, and source meat from the Wagyu beef raised on the ranch. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese wagyū, from wa "Japan, Japanese" + gyū "cattle, cow"

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1