ghawa syndrome

noun

A phenomenon in some Arabic dialects in which the second consonant in a word forms a cluster with the first consonant.

Similar
Najdi resyllabification
OriginArabic قَهْوَة →
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Meanings

nounghawa syndrome (uncountable)
  1. uncountablehuman sciencesA phenomenon in some Arabic dialects in which the second consonant in a word forms a cluster with the first consonant.

    Synonyms: Najdi resyllabification

  2. uncountablehuman sciencesImitation of such resyllabification due to perceived prestige or correctness.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA phenomenon in some Arabic dialects in which the second consonant in a word forms a cluster with the first consonant.

Similar
Najdi resyllabification

Origin

  1. Arabicقَهْوَة“coffee”
  2. Englishghawa syndrome

Named after the resyllabification of dialectal Arabic قَهْوَة (gahwa, “coffee”) as قْهَوَة (ghawa), which is the prototypical example of the phenomenon.

More words from Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic ظاهِرة قْهَوة
  • ظاهِرة قْهَوة (ẓāhirat qhawa)resyllabification phenomenon in some Arabic dialects
Cite this entry
APA

ghawa syndrome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ghawa%20syndrome

MLA

“ghawa syndrome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ghawa%20syndrome. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ghawa syndrome,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ghawa%20syndrome.

Source: ghawa syndrome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.