provolone

American  

[proh-vuh-loh-nee] / ˌproʊ vəˈloʊ ni /

noun

1. a mellow light-colored, Italian cheese, usually smoked after drying.

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provolone British  

/ ˌprəʊvəˈləʊnɪ /

noun

1. a mellow, pale yellow, soft, and sometimes smoked cheese, made of cows' milk: usually moulded in the shape of a pear

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Etymology

Origin of provolone

1945–50; < Italian, equivalent to provol ( a ) kind of cheese (of debated origin) + -one augmentative suffix

Example Sentences

Lauren Reeves, a 32-year-old venture capitalist, grabs a $15 turkey and provolone sandwich.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

When I was initially recipe testing to create a cheese steak, I looked in my pantry and pulled out my staples: soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire, ginger, garlic, mozzarella, unsmoked provolone, Italian cherry peppers, etc.

From Salon • Oct. 9, 2024

Lots of choices in cheeses, but my favorite is provolone, with its smooth texture and light sharpness.

From Washington Times • Sep. 21, 2023

Pennlive reports that Bologna Security used 600 slices of provolone cheese and 1,200 slices of half-sweet and original Seltzer’s Lebanon Bologna to create 900 sandwiches, or six sandwiches per foot.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 27, 2023

“Let me get honey-glazed on a roll. Lettuce, tomato, mayo, provolone, sweet peppers, oil and vinegar, black pepper, meat and cheese, hot,” I rattled off like naming brothers and sisters I don’t have.

From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds