noun
falafel
fuh-LAH-fuhl
Falafel (noun) means a Middle Eastern dish of deep-fried balls or patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans. Example: “We ordered falafel wrapped in warm pita with tahini sauce.”
noun
1
A Middle Eastern dish of deep-fried balls or patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans.
"Lebanese restaurants are especially good for vegetarians, with falafel rolls (pitta bread stuffed with chickpea patties, hummus and tabbouleh) making an inexpensive, filling meal."
— Margo Daly, Rough guide to Australia (2003)
"There's a stall at the market that sells fantastic falafel."
"We ordered falafel wrapped in warm pita with tahini sauce."
"The street vendor made the best falafel in the city."
How to use falafel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA popular fried chickpea or fava-bean patty, often served in pita bread.
Common pairings
falafel wrap
falafel sandwich
fried falafel
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Word forms
- Plural
- falafels
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We ordered _____ wrapped in warm pita with tahini sauce.
Etymology
Borrowed from Arabic falāfil.
Synonyms
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felafel
Frequently asked questions
What does “falafel” mean?
The word “falafel” means a Middle Eastern dish of deep-fried balls or patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans. In plain terms, a popular fried chickpea or fava-bean patty, often served in pita bread.
How do you pronounce “falafel”?
“Falafel” is pronounced fuh-LAH-fuhl (/fəˈlɑfəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “falafel” in a sentence?
Here is “falafel” used in a sentence: “We ordered falafel wrapped in warm pita with tahini sauce.”
What part of speech is “falafel”?
“Falafel” is a noun.
Where does the word “falafel” come from?
The word “falafel” comes from Arabic. Borrowed from Arabic falāfil.
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