brie
/bʁi/masculine
brie is the French word for the mild French cheese brie.
Meaning: mild French cheese (noun)
Which one should you use?
The phrase Brie tout court is used to specify just Brie or plain Brie.
How do you pronounce it?
/bʁi/
Did you know?
- Historically, brie was known as the 'cheese of kings' and was famously served to royalty during the Middle Ages.
- The etymology of brie connects it to the Gaulish word briga, which means 'hill' or 'height'.
- French culture distinguishes between Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun, which have different production methods and tastes despite both being called brie.
Examples in context
- Tu préfères du Brie ou du Camembert pour l'apéritif?Do you prefer some Brie or some Camembert for the appetizer?
- Le brie est très crémeux.The brie is very creamy.
- Je voudrais un morceau de brie.I would like a piece of brie.
- Il reste du brie dans le frigo ?Is there any brie left in the fridge?
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to buy at the market.
- NathanManon, est-ce qu'on achète du brie ?Manon, are we buying some brie?
- ManonOui, avec du pain frais, s'il te plaît.Yes, with some fresh bread, please.
- NathanTu préfères ce brie ou le camembert ?Do you prefer this brie or the camembert?
- ManonCe brie a l'air délicieux.This brie looks delicious.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brie” translations and entries brie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
