Parmesan
/ˌpɑːr.məˈzæn/noun
A hard, granular Italian cheese, typically aged and used grated over dishes.
Did you know?Parmesan is ultimately named after Parma, the Italian city, and the word spread through French as a prestige label for a cheese that became a symbol of luxury and preservation.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin / Medieval Latin
Latin
parma
“A shield; later the place-name Parma was associated with the city in northern Italy.”
Medieval Italian
Italian
parmigiano
“Of or from Parma; especially a hard cheese made in the Parma region.”
16th Century
French
parmesan
“A cheese from Parma or made in the Parma style.”
17th–18th Century
English
parmesan
“A hard Italian cheese imported from or modeled on the Parma region.”
Modern English
English
Parmesan
“The standard English name for the aged hard Italian cheese.”
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