plural paneers
1
: a soft white unripened buffalo or cow's milk cheese of India that is strained until firm and often cut into cubes before cooking
Paneer is fresh cheese, made from cow's milk and set using the acid in lemon juice or vinegar. Traditionally, it's not seasoned or flavored but is made to be used within other dishes.Meera Sodha
… delicious flatbreads stuffed with potato or cauliflower, radishes or paneer.Jeffrey Steingarten
2
: a dish made with paneer
… one of the best spinach paneers in recent memory: creamy, sublime Indian cheese complemented by a rich, spinach gravy.Renee Enna
see also saag paneer

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Hindi & Urdu panīr "cheese," borrowed from Persian

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of paneer was in 1954

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paneer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paneer. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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