chèvre

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   A soft white cheese made from goat's milk, often served in small round wheels.

   Grammar: Usually uncountable when talking about the food: 'some chèvre', not 'a chèvre'.

   Patterns

   • a log of chèvre
   • salad with chèvre
   • warm chèvre

   The menu offered a beet salad topped with crumbled chèvre.

   We bought a small log of chèvre at the farmers' market.

   She spread chèvre on toasted bread and added honey.

2. 2nouncountablerare

   A goat, especially in French-speaking places or in names of goat's-milk products.

   Grammar: Countable when it means the animal: 'a chèvre', 'the chèvres'.

   Patterns

   • a chèvre
   • raise chèvres

   In the French countryside you still hear farmers talk about their chèvres.

   The label said the milk came from a single herd of chèvres.

Word forms

Common combinations

goat cheese

If you cannot find chèvre, goat cheese from any producer will work.

crumbled chèvre

Sprinkle crumbled chèvre over the salad.

warm chèvre salad

The bistro is known for its warm chèvre salad.

a log of chèvre

Slice the log of chèvre into rounds.

Synonyms and how they differ

goat cheese

The plain English term used in shops and everyday speech; 'chèvre' sounds more restaurant-style and usually means the soft French type.

fromage de chèvre

The full French phrase; in English menus the short form 'chèvre' is far more common.

Word family

chèvrefeuille noun

the French name for honeysuckle, not used in English.

Commonly confused: chèvre or chevron? chèvre or chevreuil?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “chèvre”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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