feta

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   A white, crumbly, salty cheese from Greece, traditionally made from sheep's milk or a blend of sheep's and goat's milk and stored in brine.

   Grammar: No plural in normal use: some feta, not a feta. Say a block of feta or a piece of feta.

   Patterns

   • a block of feta
   • crumble feta over something

   She crumbled feta over the tomato and cucumber salad.

   The spinach pie was filled with feta and herbs.

   I bought a block of feta from the Greek market.

2. 2nouncountable or uncountable

   A type of similar brined white cheese made in other countries, usually from cow's milk.

   Grammar: In the plural, fetas means different types or brands of the cheese.

   Patterns

   • a mild feta
   • a cow's milk feta

   Cheaper cow's milk feta tastes milder than the Greek kind.

   The shop sells several imported fetas side by side.

   Danish feta is creamier and less sharp.

Word forms

Common combinations

crumbled feta

Top the baked eggs with crumbled feta.

feta cheese

The salad needs feta cheese and black olives.

whipped feta

We spread whipped feta on warm bread.

feta and spinach

Feta and spinach make a classic pastry filling.

marinated feta

She served marinated feta in olive oil with herbs.

Synonyms and how they differ

white cheese

White cheese is a loose category covering many types, while feta names one salty, crumbly kind.

halloumi

Halloumi is a firm cheese that can be grilled without melting, whereas feta is soft, crumbly and usually eaten cold.

goat cheese

Goat cheese depends on the milk and can be creamy or aged, while feta depends on a brined style of production.

Word family

feta cheese noun

the full name for the cheese

fetas noun

plural, used for several kinds or brands

Commonly confused: feta or fete? feta or fetta?

Practice

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