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

The main draw at La Tête d’Or though is the beef, offered in various breeds — Angus, several styles of Wagyu — and cuts, from Porterhouse to French-style Côte de boeuf and filet mignon. —Kristen Tauer, WWD, 22 Nov. 2024

The Wagyu Tetela is a modern twist on a classic Oaxacan dish, filled with nutrient-rich greens and tender wagyu beef. —Caroline Tell, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

The Japanese broadcasters had filled the lack of action by sampling a Wagyu burger from Yankee Stadium. —Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024

What makes a cut of Wagyu more expensive and rarer? —Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 17 Oct. 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