Everyday Food Phrases Explained

Food Expression Big Cheese

This phrase means a big deal or someone with fame and wealth. The big cheese can be the most influential or important person in a group, but it has often been used in a derogatory manner to refer to somebody self-important or vapid.

It came from England in the 19th century. The entomology is not 100% known, but some believe it has nothing to do with dairy products. The saying could have come from someone mishearing the Hindi word chiz, meaning “a thing.” British colonialists might have picked up the term in India and adopted what they believed they had heard.

There’s no shortage of expressions involving cheese. For instance, one may be cheesed off (upset, annoyed, fed up), or someone may be cheesy (inauthentic, corny). However, this particular expression specifically became a commonality with the British, who would refer to someone as “quite the cheese” or “simply the cheese.”