Word
jalebi
/dʒəˈleɪbi/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a popular sweet snack in South Asia and the Middle East made by deep-frying flour batter into spiral shapes and soaking them in sugar syrup.
n. a traditional confection common in South Asia and the Middle East, consisting of deep-fried maida flour batter shaped into pretzels or circular motifs and subsequently saturated with sugar syrup.
Examples
“We bought a box of hot jalebi from the street vendor.”
“During the festival, the local market was filled with the aroma of fresh jalebi being fried in large vats of oil.”
“The texture of a perfect jalebi relies on a delicate balance: the exterior must remain crisp enough to snap, while the hollow interior should be completely permeated by the aromatic syrup.”
Examples
simple
“We bought a box of hot jalebi from the street vendor.”
contextual
“During the festival, the local market was filled with the aroma of fresh jalebi being fried in large vats of oil.”
complex
“The texture of a perfect jalebi relies on a delicate balance: the exterior must remain crisp enough to snap, while the hollow interior should be completely permeated by the aromatic syrup.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “jalebi” in context.
Verb
01. fry jalebi
“The cook fries jalebi in large pans of hot oil.”
verb + noun
02. jalebi drips
“The warm jalebi drips with syrup when you pick it up.”
noun + verb
03. jalebi sizzles
“The jalebi sizzles loudly when the batter hits the hot oil.”
noun + verb
Adjective
04. crispy jalebi
“This shop is famous for its thin and crispy jalebi.”
adj + noun
05. fresh jalebi
“He served fresh jalebi with breakfast on Sunday morning.”
adj + noun
06. homemade jalebi
“My grandmother makes delicious homemade jalebi for Diwali.”
adj + noun
07. hot jalebi
“We bought hot jalebi from the street vendor on our way home.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. batch of jalebi
“The vendor prepared a fresh batch of jalebi for the festival.”
noun + prep + noun
09. box of jalebi
“We carried a box of jalebi as a gift for our neighbours.”
noun + prep + noun
10. a plate of hot jalebi
“We shared a plate of hot jalebi at the evening market.”
11. eat jalebi with rabri
“Many people eat jalebi with rabri during festivals.”
12. make fresh jalebi at home
“You can make fresh jalebi at home with flour and syrup.”
Usage
Often treated as uncountable when referring to the food generally, but countable when referring to individual pieces.
Etymology
From Hindustani जलेबी (jalebī), also rendered as جلیبی. The term entered English from the Indian subcontinent and remains a doublet of the Arabic zalabiya.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
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