brânză

See also: brânza, Brânza, Brânză, branža, branża, and branżą

Romanian

Alternative forms

• brînză — 1953–1993 spelling

Etymology

Compare Megleno-Romanian brǫndză and Aromanian brãndzã. Of uncertain origin:

• Often considered to be a substrate 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 fōrmāticum from fōrma, “shape; mould”).

• 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; likewise, rânză (“tripe”) might have come from Albanian rrëndës (“rennet”).

Displaced caș, which now refers to a specific type of cheese.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbrɨn.zə/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio:

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• 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

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	brânză	brânza	brânzeturi	brânzeturile
genitive-dative	brânze	brânzei	brânzeturi	brânzeturilor
vocative	—		—

Derived terms

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

Descendants

• → Austrian German: Brimsen
• → Czech: brynza
• → Russian: брынза (brynza)
• → Serbo-Croatian: брeнцa, brenca
• → Old Slovak: bryndza
  • ⇒ Old Slovak: bryndzový (adjective)
    • Pannonian Rusyn: бриндзови (brindzovi)
    • Slovak: bryndzový
  • Slovak: bryndza
    • → English: bryndza
    • → Polish: bryndza

See also

• caș
• cașcaval