Gruyère

American  

[groo-yair, gri-, gry-yer] / gruˈyɛər, grɪ-, grüˈyɛr /

noun

1. a firm, pale-yellow cheese, made of whole milk and having small holes, produced chiefly in France and Switzerland.

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Gruyère British  

/ ˈɡruːjɛə, ɡryjɛr /

noun

1. a hard flat whole-milk cheese, pale yellow in colour and with holes

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Etymology

Origin of Gruyère

First recorded in 1795–1805; after Gruyère district in Switzerland where the cheese is made

Example Sentences

She had sliced and toasted the baguette, and pre-grated a small mountain of aged Gruyère.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

My fluffy Gruyère and Parsley Scones feature a parsley compound butter which makes them mouthwateringly rich, flaky and bursting with flavor.

From Salon • Dec. 4, 2024

Beuret said measures need to be taken to ensure Switzerland — famous worldwide for high-quality cheese varieties such as Gruyère and Emmentaler — can continue to produce for its own population.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 8, 2023

With interest, sympathy and a certain sadness, I read Tyler Nottberg’s March 17 Friday Opinion essay, “A court’s decision about Gruyère stinks.”

From Washington Post • Mar. 23, 2023

“See, because his last name is Gruyère, which is a kind of cheese,” Owen ad-libbed.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz