feta

[ fet-uh ]

/ ˈfɛt ə /

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noun

a soft, white, brine-cured Greek cheese made from sheep's milk or goat's milk.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of feta

1935–40; <Modern Greek, short for tyrì phéta, equivalent to tyrí cheese (Greek tyrós) + phéta slice <Italian fetta (see fettuccine)

Words nearby feta

festoonery, festschrift, festuca, festy, FET, feta, fetal, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome, fetal diagnosis, fetal position

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use feta in a sentence

Crumble in some cotija or feta and eat it with flour tortillas for a simple lunch.
Pico de gallo, a classic Mexican salsa fresca, is more than a garnish|Daniela Galarza|August 25, 2021|Washington Post
Divide across 6 bowls, garnish with the freshly sliced scallion, dill and the remaining feta cheese and serve.
Toss pasta with spinach, feta and dill for a speedy vegetarian supper|Ellie Krieger|July 8, 2021|Washington Post
Double dipping is so two years ago, but I found myself returning an ever-shorter baton to the accompanying whip of manchego and feta cheese.
If you think fine dining is on pause, Imperfecto would beg to differ|Tom Sietsema|May 7, 2021|Washington Post
Drizzle with the vinegar, sprinkle with the feta and parsley, and serve warm.
A buttery braise sweetens radishes and melts their greens|Joe Yonan|April 23, 2021|Washington Post

That’s the essence of this bright, crisp, farmers-market-inspired salad, which can launch a multitude of spring meals, topped with or served alongside just about any grilled or roasted protein, or a nice slab of feta.
Loaded with two types of peas, radishes and mint, this lemony salad sings spring|Ellie Krieger|April 15, 2021|Washington Post
Mozzarella, ricotta and burrata all come from the south of Italy; feta is from Greece.
Elegy to Italian Cheese|Jesse Dart|May 21, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Things get started later here: The Starbucks crush (i.e., when they run out of spinach-feta breakfast wraps) is around 11.
Belafonte and Bobby Fischer at Sundance|Nicole LaPorte|January 21, 2011|DAILY BEAST
You can eat it with powdered sugar, but my favorite is with feta cheese and raspberry jam or fresh raspberries.
How to Make Petulla, Albanian Fried Dough|Petrit Husenaj|January 12, 2011|DAILY BEAST
This watermelon, feta, and black olive salad recipe from Nigella Lawson reminds me of that.
Fresh Picks|José Andrés|August 25, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Watermelon is also unbelievably good with a salty cheese like feta.
Fresh Picks|José Andrés|August 25, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The great signal-tower of the citadel is a reconstruction of a pharo called Khalef-el-Feta, which stood here in 1068.
In the Land of Mosques & Minarets|Francis Miltoun
Feta is soft and as blinding white as a plate of fresh Ricotta smothered with sour cream.
The Complete Book of Cheese|Robert Carlton Brown
This gray and greasy, hard and brittle palate-tickler of sheep's milk made us bleat for more Feta.
The Complete Book of Cheese|Robert Carlton Brown
A more exciting olive cream may be made with Greek Calatma olives and Feta sheep cheese.
The Complete Book of Cheese|Robert Carlton Brown
We then compared Feta with thin wisps of its grown-up brother, Casere.
The Complete Book of Cheese|Robert Carlton Brown

British Dictionary definitions for feta

feta

/ (ˈfɛtə) /

noun

a white sheep or goat cheese popular in Greece

Word Origin for feta

Modern Greek, from the phrase turi pheta, from turi cheese + pheta, from Italian fetta a slice

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012