falafel

or fe·la·fel

[ fuh-lah-fuhl ]

nounMiddle Eastern Cooking.

a small croquette made with ground chickpeas or fava beans and spices, often served with salad and tahini in pita bread.

Origin of falafel

First recorded in 1950–55; from Levantine Arabic falāfil, plural of filfil “pepper”; possibly from Persian pilpil, from Sanskrit pippalī “long pepper,” or from Aramaic pilpāl “small round object, peppercorn”; cf. pepper

Sometimes fa·la·fil .

Words Nearby falafel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use falafel in a sentence

You can even opt for crispy orbs of falafel or petite slices of gyro meat, both of which are quality third-party products that Marhaba surrounds with some superb sides.
Marhaba’s stellar Middle Eastern cooking deserves a permanent spot at Tysons Corner Center | Tim Carman | October 18, 2021 | Washington Post
They also think that Israel’s campaign to make falafel its own with catchy songs or by designating it Israel’s national dish erases their history.
Hey Neighbor! Imagine a World Beyond Borders | Sean Culligan | September 26, 2021 | Ozy
I even tried wasting coins in non-affiliated food places I really couldn’t afford—cannoli and an espresso on Spring, falafel from Mamoun’s, a slice from Joe’s.
Fiction: Unpaired | Tim Maughan | April 28, 2021 | MIT Technology Review
Yes, you can learn the art of falafel at home with this straightforward recipe.
These 6 recipes give you a reason to fry | Kari Sonde | January 21, 2021 | Washington Post
Unless, maybe, you’ve got a specialty line of falafel insurance.
Does Advertising Actually Work? (Part 2: Digital) (Ep. 441) | Stephen J. Dubner | November 26, 2020 | Freakonomics

Is falafel Israeli and can fried chickpeas have a nationality?
Watching Anthony Bourdain in Palestine | Maysoon Zayid | September 19, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Sure, some falafel places in Israel stuff a couple of french fries into the pita.
Is That It? Burger King’s French Fry Burger Is Just Carb Overkill. | Daniel Gross | September 3, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
When Zohar and I met at a falafel joint around the corner, I told him about Linda's reaction.
Red Alerts At A Sderot Hair Salon | Orly Halpern | November 1, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
Mom made me a cup of tea and then chewed me out for eating dinner when I knew that she'd been making falafel.
Little Brother | Cory Doctorow

British Dictionary definitions for falafel

falafel

felafel

/ (fəlˈɑːfəl) /

noun

a ball or cake of ground spiced chickpeas, deep-fried and often served with pitta bread

Origin of falafel

C20: from Arabic felāfil

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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