feta

noun

fe·​ta ˈfe-tə 

ˈfe-ˌtä

often capitalized

: a white moderately hard and crumbly Greek cheese made from sheep's or goat's milk and cured in brine

Examples of feta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bowls also include sides such as chilled beets and feta, roasted sweet potatoes and carrots with lemon gremolata. —Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025

One of the keys to ensuring the sauce for this feta tomato pasta comes together nicely is to use a high-quality block of feta—the pre-crumbled stuff won’t bake and melt the same. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025

Go beyond dessert and add them to a salad of arugula with a few walnuts or pecans and feta cheese, drizzled with a honey-mustard dressing. 14. —Nancy Lebrun, Verywell Health, 21 Jan. 2025

While the recipe calls for feta cheese on top, substituting it for goat cheese will give it an extra creamy tang. —Abby Fribush, Southern Living, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Modern Greek (tyri) pheta, from tyri cheese + pheta slice, from Italian fetta — more at fettuccine

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

feta

noun

fe·​ta ˈfet-ə 

ˈfe-ˌtä

: a white Greek cheese made from sheep's or goat's milk and cured in salt water

Etymology

from modern Greek pheta "slice (of cheese)"