noun Uncommon

Colby

KOHL-bee

Colby (noun) means a mild, soft American cheese similar to cheddar but moister, made using a washed-curd technique. Example: “The sandwich was stacked with turkey and colby cheese.”

noun

A mild, soft American cheese similar to cheddar but moister, made using a washed-curd technique.

"The sandwich was stacked with turkey and colby cheese."

"Colby melts nicely on burgers."

How to Use Colby

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA mild yellow-orange cheese, a bit softer and milder than cheddar.

Easily confused with

cheddar →

Word Forms

Colbys plural, Colbys plural, Colbies plural

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Can you complete this real example?

The sandwich was stacked with turkey and _____ cheese.

Etymology

Named after Colby, Wisconsin, the town where the cheese was first made in the 1880s.

· First attested 1880

Class of 1880 Colby joined the language around 1880.

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Rhymes for Colby

Dolby

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “Colby” mean?

The word “Colby” means a mild, soft American cheese similar to cheddar but moister, made using a washed-curd technique. In plain terms, a mild yellow-orange cheese, a bit softer and milder than cheddar.

How do you pronounce “Colby”?

“Colby” is pronounced KOHL-bee (/ˈkoʊl.bi/ in IPA).

How do you use “Colby” in a sentence?

Here is “Colby” used in a sentence: “The sandwich was stacked with turkey and colby cheese.”

What part of speech is “Colby”?

“Colby” is a noun.

Where does the word “Colby” come from?

The word “Colby” dates back to around 1880. Named after Colby, Wisconsin, the town where the cheese was first made in the 1880s.

Is “Colby” a common word?

“Colby” is an uncommon word in modern English.