a. [f. L. case-us cheese + -OUS.]
1. Of the nature of cheese, cheesy.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 3. The Asses [milk] having more serum and lesse of the caseous, or cheesy matter.
1781. Kerr, in Phil. Trans., LXXI. 380. [It] forms a coagulum with the caseous part of the milk.
1881. Daily Tel., 23 Feb., 5/3. Not Parmesan, but some inexpensive and wholesome caseous product.
b. humorously. Abounding in cheese; fond of cheese.
1807–8. Syd. Smith, Plymley’s Lett., Wks. 1859, II. 168/1. A universal state of disaffection among that caseous and wrathful people [the Welsh].
1859. Sala, Tw. round Clock, 253. Parma, in which caseous Italian city [etc.].
2. Pathol. Resembling cheese in appearance.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., Cataracts are by some divided into milky, and caseous, differing only in the degree of hardness or consistence.
1804. Abernethy, Surg. Observ., I. 43. Cysts … containing a kind of caseous substance.
1878. T. Bryant, Pract. Surg., I. 5. The formation of caseous deposits … in the bones, joints, skin, or lungs.
