brânză

brânză

See also: branża

Romanian

Alternative forms

• brînză (old orthography)

Etymology

Compare Megleno-Romanian brǫndză. Often considered to be a substratum word. Other theories suggest, on the basis of what is used to make cheese, a derivation from Latin brandeum (originally meaning a linen covering, later a thin cloth for relic storage) through an intermediate Vulgar Latin root *brandea. For the development of the meaning, compare Spanish manteca, Portuguese manteiga, probably from Latin mantica (“sack”), Italian formaggio and French fromage from Latin formaticum from forma. [1] Alternatively it was possibly borrowed from Albanian brëndës (“intestines”). Originally referred to cheeses prepared in a sheep's stomach by reacting with the rennet inside.[2] Likewise, Romanian rânză (“tripe”) might have come from Albanian rrëndës (“rennet”). Replaced Romanian caș, which now refers to a specific type of cheese.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbrɨn.zə/
• Hyphenation: brân‧ză

Noun

brânză f (plural brânzeturi)

1. (uncountable) cheese
2. (countable) type of cheese

Usage notes

The singular form is usually used for white cheeses, while cașcaval is used for yellow cheeses. The plural form is used for both.

Declension

declension of brânză

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(o) brânză	brânza	(niște) brânzeturi	brânzeturile
genitive/dative	(unei) brânze	brânzei	(unor) brânzeturi	brânzeturilor
vocative	—		—

Derived terms

• brânzar
• brânză bună în burduf de câine
• zgârie-brânză

See also

• caș
• cașcaval

Descendants

• Slovak: bryndza

References

1. brânză in DEX online - Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)
2. Vladimir Orel, Albanian Etymological Dictionary, s.v. "brenda" (Leiden: Brill, 1998), 35.