Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

halva

/hɑːlˈvɑː/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.56 in modern English

Syllables: hal-va
IPA: /hɑːlˈvɑː/

11

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A confection usually made from crushed sesame seeds and honey. It is a traditional dessert in South Asia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Just before Christmas, Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, sent the White House a box of holiday gifts with a pointed political message. Inside were items (body lotion, halvah, olive oil) produced in Jewish settlements in the West Bank."

Etymology

From Yiddish חלווה (khálva), from Romanian halva, from Ottoman Turkish حلوا (helva), from Persian حلوا (halvâ), from Arabic حَلْوَى (ḥalwā). Cognate with Halwai.

Origin

Source language: Yiddish

Word Breakdown

Root: חלווה, halva, حلوا, حَلْوَى, ح ل و

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /hɑːlˈvɑː/

Usage

Inflected Forms

halvas (plural) khalva (alternative) halava (alternative) halavah (alternative) halawa (alternative) halaweh (alternative) halvah (alternative) halwa (alternative) halwah (alternative) hulwa (alternative)

Phrases

sohan halva

Frequently Paired Words

Halwai

Questions

How do you pronounce halva?: The recorded pronunciation is /hɑːlˈvɑː/.
What does halva mean?: A confection usually made from crushed sesame seeds and honey. It is a traditional dessert in South Asia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Where does halva come from?: It is traced to Yiddish.

How to pronounce halva

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “halva”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/hɑːlˈvɑː/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “halva”.
Repeat and practice — Say “halva” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.