manchego n.

type of firm cow's-milk cheese from Spain, 1905, literally "of La Mancha," the region in central Spain from which it takes its name. The connection of the region name with Spanish mancha "spot, stain, patch," is unclear, and the name of the plateau is perhaps a folk-etymologizing from an Arabic word. Manchego referring to the people of La Mancha, is attested in English by 1779.