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

A Middle Eastern dish of deep-fried balls or patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans.

"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 notes

In plain EnglishA popular fried chickpea or fava-bean patty, often served in pita bread.

Common pairings

falafel wrap falafel sandwich fried falafel

Word forms

falafels plural, falafel plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “falafel” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

We ordered _____ wrapped in warm pita with tahini sauce.

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic falāfil.

Origin: Arabic

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.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include falafel:

Words with Arabic origins