feta

American  

[fet-uh] / ˈfɛt ə /

noun

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

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feta British  

/ ˈfɛtə /

noun

1. a white sheep or goat cheese popular in Greece

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Etymology

Origin of feta

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

Explanation

Feta is a crumbly, tangy cheese that's traditionally made from sheep's milk. Feta is an ingredient in many Greek foods, like spanakopita, or spinach pie. If you've tasted feta, you know what a distinctly sharp, salty flavor this soft white cheese has. Traditional feta is formed into blocks and cured in brine to give it that taste. You can crumble feta into salads, omelets, sandwiches, or anything else that needs a little extra salt or tanginess. Feta is from the Modern Greek tyri pheta, "slice of cheese."

Example Sentences

An annex specified that, as far as Indonesia is concerned, feta comes only from Greece and Gorgonzola from Italy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

It is estimated that in 2025 feta production reached 140,000 tonnes.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

"That's why whether it's Greeks coming here and creating feta, or Italians coming and doing parmesan or people from Eastern Europe doing kransky sausages - it's a connection with Europe."

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

In the center of the pan, nestle a block of feta.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026

Desdemona packed his Greek lunch of feta, olives, and bread in a new American container: a brown paper bag.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides