First recorded in 1905–10; from Italian: literally, “(cheese) of ewes,” from adjective pecorino, from pecora “sheep, ewe” + -ino, from Late Latin pecorīnus “relating to sheep,” from Latin pecus (stem pecor- ) “farm animals, livestock” + -īnus adjective suffix; akin to fief ( def. ); -ine 1 ( def. )
Pecorino is a hard Italian cheese that tastes similar to Parmesan. Unlike that more widely-known cheese, pecorino is made from sheep's milk. Instead of grating Parmesan on your spaghetti, you could use pecorino instead. It's also crumbly and salty, but because it's not aged as long, pecorino is a bit softer and has less of Parmesan's nutty sweetness. Some people also detect a slight tanginess in the flavor of pecorino, probably because it's made from the milk of sheep, rather than cows. Pecorino derives from pecora, Italian for "sheep."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Once the dough had risen, I rolled it into a rectangle, spread on a thin layer of the miso-béchamel, showered it with Parmesan, Pecorino Romano and a very healthy amount of black pepper.
From Salon • Nov. 12, 2025
Sheep milk is too rich in fat and protein for most to drink but creates delectable cheese such as Manchego, Pecorino and feta.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 16, 2023
Pecorino again made an appearance here; Blotto clearly loves this cheese.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 23, 2023
Also optional, once your Pizza Pasta is hot and out of the oven, drizzle with olive oil and finish with a sprinkling of crushed red pepper and your favorite Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.
From Salon • Oct. 1, 2022
Foggiano Apulia, Italy A member of the big Pecorino family because it's made of sheep's milk.
From The Complete Book of Cheese by Brown, Robert Carlton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
