# Ava

/ˈeɪvə/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ava
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. female name

noun · CEFR A1

a popular girl's name used in many countries.

For teachers: a female given name of diverse origins, including Hebrew (a variant of Eve), Irish (Aoife), and Germanic roots.

- Ava was the most popular name for baby girls in her city last year.
- The name Ava has seen a significant resurgence in popularity across English-speaking countries over the last two decades.

### 2. traditional drink

noun · CEFR C1 · Dialect

another name for kava, a traditional drink from the Pacific islands.

For teachers: an alternative spelling or name for kava, referring to the plant Piper methysticum and the sedative beverage produced from its roots.

- The villagers prepared a bowl of ava for the visiting guests.
- In many Polynesian cultures, the ceremonial preparation of ava remains a vital component of social and political gatherings.

## Examples

- He touched his soft ava gently.
- The artist painted the delicate ava of the young girl with great care.
- In classical sculpture, the subtle modelling of the ava often conveys a sense of youthful vitality and fragility.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.