Pecorino

[ pek-uh-ree-noh ]

noun

, plural Pe·co·ri·nos, Pe·co·ri·ni [pek-, uh, -, ree, -nee].

1. (often lowercase) a dry, hard Italian cheese made of ewe's milk, especially Romano.

pecorino

/ ˌpɛkəˈriːnəʊ /

noun

1. an Italian cheese made from ewes' milk

Word History and Origins

Origin of Pecorino¹

First recorded in 1905–10; from Italian: literally, “(cheese) of ewes,” from adjective pecorino, from pecora “sheep, ewe” + -ino, from Late Latin pecorīnus “relating to sheep,” from Latin pecus (stem pecor- ) “farm animals, livestock” + -īnus adjective suffix; akin to fief ( def ); -ine ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of Pecorino¹

C20: from Italian, literally: of ewes, from pecora sheep, from Latin pecus

Example Sentences

Heinz’s version swaps eggs and pecorino cheese for a laundry list of chemical preservatives that mimic the original flavors, including maltodextrin and stabilizers.

From Salon

“You’ll be late for your dinner. It’s Gala Night in the mouse dining saloon. There’ll be confetti, flaming pudding, and three cheeses: a boursin au poivre, a pecorino Romano, and an Emmenthaler—that’s the one with the ’oles.

From Literature

Many order the meatballs, chicken liver pâté and the fresh cavatelli pasta with hazelnut pesto and pecorino to pair with an Italian wine.

From Seattle Times

His father opposed the construction of the geothermal plants, but in 2007 Tanda connected his farm to the plant with a piping system to bring in cheap heat to process the milk of his 800 sheep into pecorino cheese.

From National Geographic

And if ricotta salata is not available, finely grated pecorino Romano is a reasonable swap, but halve the amount.

From Washington Times