What does kaf mean?
Kaf is a specialist English transliteration of kaph, the name of the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Rather than having an independent everyday meaning, kaf identifies the Hebrew letter represented in its basic form by כ and in its word-final form by ך. The final form is often called kaf sofit. In Hebrew transliteration, kaf may mark the consonant conventionally represented by k and may also be used in the spelling of Hebrew names and quotations. The form occurs in biblical scholarship, Hebrew grammar, and discussions of ancient or modern Hebrew writing, while general reference works often prefer kaph. For readers meeting the word for the first time, the difference between kaf and kaph is principally one of transliteration convention: both refer to the same Hebrew letter, not to separate letters or meanings.
nounAn alternative English transliteration of kaph, the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It refers to the Hebrew letter with the basic shape כ and the word-final shape ך.
- An alternative English spelling of kaph, the name of the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
"The alphabet chart labels the eleventh letter as kaf rather than kaph."
"The word קָף begins with the initial form of kaf."
"This transliteration uses kaf where many English texts use kaph."
The plural is uncommon and generally refers to instances of the letter or its written forms.
"The worksheet compared the two kafs in different positions."
A Hebrew word can end in a differently shaped kaf without changing the sound of the letter.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kaf come from?
The English form kaf is a transliteration of the Hebrew letter name קָף, conventionally also written kaph in English. The Hebrew name belongs to a family of related Semitic letter names, including forms represented as kāf in Arabic and qāf in Aramaic. Its use in English follows scholarly transliteration practices and does not represent a separate English word with a distinct meaning.
How kaf is actually used
Kaf is a specialized transliteration used particularly in biblical studies, Hebrew linguistics, and texts that consistently represent Hebrew letters with scholarly conventions. General readers are more likely to encounter kaph. The term should not be confused with the letter's word-final form, commonly called kaf sofit.
Easily confused with kaf
Kaf and kaph are alternative English transliterations of the same Hebrew letter; kaph is the more common spelling in general English-language reference works.