Gruyère

American

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

noun

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

Gruyère British

/ ˈɡruːjɛə, ɡryjɛr /

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of Gruyère

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

I love a classic quiche Lorraine, filled with smoky bacon, rich Gruyère cheese and shallots.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2025

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

It orginated in La Gruyère, a region not far from the French-Swiss border, where it’s been produced for almost 1,000 years.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2023

Natalie turned to look at him, and she watched as his friend George Gruyère clapped a hand over Owen’s mouth and whispered her an apology.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023