Swiss cheese

American

noun

a firm, pale-yellow cheese made originally in Switzerland, typically made from cow's milk and having many holes.

Swiss cheese British

noun

a hard white or pale yellow cheese with holes, such as Gruyère or Emmenthal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Swiss cheese

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For probably the millionth time in my life, I wondered why everyone else got watertight brains, while mine was apparently Swiss cheese.

From Literature

Starting in 2023, they tore out its center and moved steel girders until they resembled Swiss cheese.

From The Wall Street Journal

Gohl treated himself to a Jersey Mike’s sub, the No. 9 with turkey, roast beef and Swiss cheese, for around $12.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some members of the public wondered if the moon was made of Swiss cheese.

From Literature

"I think I said at one point it had more holes than Swiss cheese," she said.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023