halloumi
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of halloumi
From Egyptian Arabic, from Arabic ḥalūm, probably from ḥaluma “to be mild”
Explanation
Halloumi is a kind of cheese made in Cyprus from a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. Unlike many cheeses, halloumi keeps its shape when you cook it on a grill. People describe halloumi as a "squeaky" cheese, because its texture is a bit spongy, not quite hard or soft, and it makes a little squeak between your teeth when you bite into it. Its firmness helps it hold up to heat, and halloumi is delicious after it's grilled. Cheese can only be called halloumi if it's produced in Cyprus. Halloumi comes from the Modern Greek khalloúmi and the Cypriot Arabic xallúm.
Vocabulary lists containing halloumi
Cheesy Goodness
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5th Grade World Cuisine, List 1
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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.
After the hummus and seven vegetable salads, the meal unfolded with sweet-and-salty pistachio-dusted halloumi baklava, tender beef shashlik over creamy black-garlic toum, and a guava sorbet sundae.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
Finn's Wales highlights included "getting to eat Cypriot halloumi and chips" in New Quay, Ceredigion, and "one of the best brownies I've had in my life" in Llangrannog, also in Ceredigion.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2024
In her version, halloumi, kale and mint are wrapped in a quick, yeast-free dough, then fried to make a satisfyingly cheesy, crunchy, herby dish that works for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
From Salon ● Mar. 17, 2023
If you have leftover rice, put it to good use in this crispy rice salad with halloumi and ginger-lime vinaigrette.
From New York Times ● Oct. 27, 2022
Luma stocked up on groceries—pita bread, hummus, and halloumi, a salty sheep’s and goat’s milk cheese that was one of her favorites—then went home to make herself a meal like her grandmother might have made.
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
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.
