shva

S1H4V4A1
/ʃvɑː/

noun

A Hebrew nikud vowel sign written as two vertical dots beneath a letter, in Israeli Hebrew indicating either the phoneme /e/ or the complete absence of a vowel.

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Meanings

nounshva (plural shvas)

plural shvas · alternative schwa · alternative sheva · alternative shewa

  1. A Hebrew nikud vowel sign written as two vertical dots beneath a letter, in Israeli Hebrew indicating either the phoneme /e/ or the complete absence of a vowel.

Origin

From Hebrew שווא / שְׁוָא (shvá, šəwɔʾ). Doublet of schwa.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

shva. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shva

MLA

“shva.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shva. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shva,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shva.

Source: shva on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.