halvah

noun

hal·​vah häl-ˈvä How to pronounce halvah (audio)
ˈhäl-(ˌ)vä,
-və
variants or halva
: a flaky confection of crushed sesame seeds in a base of syrup (as of honey)

Examples of halvah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Her background and training in France and Asia shine through in creations like chocolate halvah cookies, madeleines kissed by passion fruit glaze, and a to-die-for mango cheesecake. The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 13 Mar. 2024 Shredded halvah can be found at kosher and Middle Eastern markets and online. Jessica Stolzberg, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2023 Shredded halvah is so lovely on top but may prove elusive. Jessica Stolzberg, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2023 Step 4Sprinkle chocolate over halvah and gently press into place (some chocolate will melt). Joy Cho, Good Housekeeping, 16 May 2023 Winter reminds me of gajar halwa or carrot halwa (different from the halvah from the Middle East, which is a sesame candy). Amisha Gurbani, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Dec. 2022 In Israel, jelly doughnuts for Hanukkah are especially popular, and are sometimes filled with chocolate or halvah too. Katie Workman, Chicago Tribune, 12 Dec. 2022 Turkish breads such as simit, a circular seeded loaf, or pide, a chewy flatbread, accompany bowls of feta or other fresh, salty cheeses; olives; halvah; and honey and preserves. Casey Barber, CNN, 24 Jan. 2022 Some halvah, an attempt to add sweetness to the proceedings? Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 13 Jan. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'halvah.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Yiddish halva, from Romanian, from Turkish helva, from Arabic ḥalwā sweetmeat

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of halvah was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near halvah

Cite this Entry

“Halvah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halvah. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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