brânză
Romanian
Alternative forms
- brînză — old orthography
Etymology
Compare Megleno-Romanian brǫndză and Aromanian brãndzã. 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 fōrmāticum from fōrma, “shape; mould”).[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, 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) - Hyphenation: brân‧ză
Audio (file)
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 articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (o) brânză | brânza | (niște) brânzeturi | brânzeturile |
genitive/dative | (unei) brânze | brânzei | (unor) brânzeturi | brânzeturilor |
Derived terms
- brânzar
- brânzăreasă
- brânzărie
- brânză bună în burduf de câine
- zgârie-brânză
Descendants
References
- brânză in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)
- Orel, Vladimir (1998) “brenda”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden: Brill, page 35.