# jalebi

/dʒəˈleɪbi/ (US) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jalebi
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Often treated as uncountable when referring to the food generally, but countable when referring to individual pieces.

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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.