cheese

The word “cheese” means a solid food made from curdled milk, typically aged and eaten in slices, blocks, or grated. In plain terms, the dairy food most people think of first; informally it can also mean something corny or a big camera-ready smile.

“Cheese” is pronounced cheez (/t͡ʃiz/ in IPA).

Here is “cheese” used in a sentence: “She added a slice of cheese to the burger.”

Words with a similar meaning to “cheese” include money, fromage and gamebreaking.

The opposite of “cheese” — its antonyms — is fill.

Depending on how it is used, “cheese” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “cheese” comes from Latin. From Old English cīese, ultimately from Latin cāseus ("cheese"), the same root that gives Spanish queso.

“Cheese” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

Cheese is often grouped by texture and age: fresh cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta, soft ripened ones like brie, semi-hard varieties like cheddar and gouda, hard cheeses like parmesan, and blue cheeses such as stilton. Flavour ranges from mild and creamy to sharp and tangy.

Cheese is made by curdling milk, usually with an enzyme called rennet plus a starter culture. This separates the milk into solid curds and liquid whey. The curds are drained, pressed, salted, and often aged for weeks, months, or years to develop their texture and flavour.

Cheese is a valuable source of protein, calcium, and vitamins, so it can be part of a balanced diet. It is also high in saturated fat and salt, so moderation matters. Nutritional value varies widely between types, and portion size makes a real difference.