Swiss cheese

American  

noun

Swiss cheeses plural

1. a firm, pale-yellow cheese made originally in Switzerland, typically made from cow's milk and having many holes.

---

Swiss cheese British  

noun

1. a hard white or pale yellow cheese with holes, such as Gruyère or Emmenthal

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Swiss cheeses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Swiss cheese

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

“The Dolphins’ roster resembles Swiss cheese and they need to leave the 2026 draft with four to five starters.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Gohl treated himself to a Jersey Mike’s sub, the No. 9 with turkey, roast beef and Swiss cheese, for around $12.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025

"I think I said at one point it had more holes than Swiss cheese," she said.

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2025

"A block of Swiss cheese would be more complex than, say, a block of cheddar. Some of the metrics we use essentially measure how many holes you have in your block of forest."

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2024

Frank looked down and saw the airstrip riddled with craters like a piece of burning Swiss cheese.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan