turophile

American  

[toor-uh-fahyl, tur-] / ˈtʊər əˌfaɪl, ˈtɜr- /

noun

1. a connoisseur or lover of cheese; a caseophile.

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Etymology

Origin of turophile

First recorded in 1935–40; from tur-, a variant of Greek tȳrós “cheese” + -o- ( def. ) + -phile ( def. )

Explanation

Turophile is a fancy word for a cheese connoisseur. If you're crazy for Camembert, adore Asiago, and go moony over Manchego, you can call yourself a turophile. True turophiles don't just adore cheese — they also know a lot about it. You'd need to be something of a turophile to open your own cheese shop or work as an expert fromager at an upscale restaurant. If you simple love Jarlsberg, cotija, and gorgonzola, you're well on your way to being a turophile. This word, popularized in the mid-20th century, is from the Greek roots turós, "cheese," and phílos, "beloved."

Example Sentences

But as any turophile knows, microbes are the source of cheese’s vast diversity of flavors, textures, and smells.

From Time • Sep. 22, 2017

Whether you've got a penchant for pie, you're cuckoo for cake or you're a total turophile, there's a club waiting to welcome you.

From The Guardian • May 8, 2013

So the host announced it was made of "lait de femme" and an astounded turophile exclaimed, "Then all of us are cannibals."

From The Complete Book of Cheese by Brown, Robert Carlton