What does falafel mean?
Falafel is a beloved staple of Middle Eastern cuisine: small balls or patties made from ground chickpeas (or, in Egypt, fava beans) blended with herbs such as parsley and cilantro, garlic, and spices, then deep-fried until crisp. Served in pita bread with tahini, salad, and pickles, or as part of a mezze spread, it is enjoyed as a street food across the Levant and has become one of the region's most internationally recognized dishes. In English the word works as both a count noun and an uncountable mass noun, so one might order 'two falafel' or simply 'falafel'. Its popularity among vegetarians and vegans owes to its hearty texture and plant-based protein. The name entered European languages from Arabic in the twentieth century, traveling alongside the dish itself as Middle Eastern food spread worldwide.
A ball or patty of ground, spiced chickpeas or fava beans, deep-fried and typically served in pita bread or as part of a mezze selection.
"He bit into a warm falafel drizzled with tahini."
Used as both a count noun and a mass noun; the plural 'falafel' or 'falafels' are both seen.
(Mass noun) The foodstuff or dish consisting of such fried balls or patties.
"There's a great place that sells falafel by the pita near campus."
When treated as a mass noun, falafel has no plural. As a count noun, both 'falafel' (unchanged, matching the Arabic original) and the anglicized 'falafels' are acceptable.
"She fried up a batch of falafel for the party."
In Egypt, falafel is traditionally made with fava beans rather than chickpeas — and locals call it ta'ameya.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of falafel
Falafel comes from Arabic falāfil (فلافل), which is itself the plural of filfil, meaning 'pepper'. The word was borrowed into English during the twentieth century as the dish spread beyond the Middle East, first appearing in English-language writing about Levantine cuisine. It belongs to the family of Arabic food terms that entered European languages through contact and migration rather than through scholarly transmission.
How falafel is actually used
Both spellings 'falafel' and 'felafel' are accepted, though 'falafel' is now dominant. The word functions as both a count noun ('three falafel') and a mass noun ('some falafel'); the anglicized plural 'falafels' is also widely used.