American cheese
4
1.3
- noun
- /əˈmɛrɪkən tʃiz/
- US
:
queso americano
- So here we have legendary cheeseburger with American cheese kimchi Mayo.
- American cheese slices
- American cheese melted
- American cheese on top
Molly, would you agree that American cheese yes or yes is the best cheese for breakfast?
- Molly, would you agree that American cheese yes or yes is the best cheese for breakfast?
- They cook down the Cheetos, toss in the pasta and put some American cheese on top.
Examples
-
I don't think so... a slab of red meat with a nice slice of American cheese - not so terrible, in the big picture.
Fiction book (1997) -
The recipe calls for a layer of American cheese to give the dish a smooth texture and mild flavor.
-
You know, American cheese would taste a lot better on that.
-
We'll be right back... with a new American cheese snack idea.
-
And one American cheese sandwich.
-
Top Ramen mixed with tomato soup (sometimes with a square of American cheese).
Fiction book (1992) -
American cheese is the best cheese for a cheeseburger, because it melts without splitting.
-
It has ham, American cheese, bacon, avocado, olives, and a little bit of lettuce.
-
It had American cheese, a generic white bun, and cheap ketchup—and I was heartbroken that there was only enough meat for one.
Blog text (5) -
Princess Nagger's love of sandwiches goes back to when she first started eating solid foods—the first sandwich I made her was one of my favorites from when I was a kid: Miracle Whip and a slice of American cheese.
Blog text (5)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A solid food made from milk that is pressed and often aged
5
4.3
A soft American cheese that melts easily to make creamy sauces
1
2.8
Cheese made by mixing other cheeses with added ingredients to make a smooth, long-lasting product
A cheese made by mixing different cheeses with other ingredients that help it melt smoothly
How Informal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is directly built from the adjective 'American' (of/from the United States) and the noun 'cheese', so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a kind or variety of cheese associated with America. Nationality + food is a common, compositional pattern across languages, so the general meaning (a type of American cheese) is immediately understandable even if finer product details (processed, mild, used on burgers) require cultural knowledge.
Etymology
American cheese may come from early U.S. food factories that melted Cheddar and other cheeses together into a single smooth, creamy slice. Because this made a mild, even cheese that melted the same way every time, people began to call that common sandwich cheese American cheese, and that is what the name means today.