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vav

vav

1 9.9
The sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet that makes the sound v or w and sometimes shows a vowel
  • noun
  • /vɑv/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vav
  • In Hebrew, the letter Vav is the sixth letter of the alphabet and can represent the sounds 'v' or 'w'.

Examples

  • I see the two vavs as parallel partners in this illicit sexual act.

    Academic text (1995)
  • But to understand, the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and every Hebrew letter and number has a meaning (look up the value of "W"; it is Vav, and v and w are the same letter in Hebrew).

    Blog text (5)
  • There are seven words from the root shin-vav-vet, which also forms the word teshuvah, in this passage.

    Blog text (16)
  • Other constant-volume systems are also generally less efficient than variable-air-volume (VAV) systems.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The authors have monitored the performance of several VAV retrofits, which have reduced heating and cooling energy use by 25 to 75 percent, including the system installed in a 483,895-square-foot library at the University of Texas in Austin.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The letters are (from the top 10 PM in clockwise order): Tuf, Yud, Vav, Lamed, Nun Sofit.

    Blog text (2)
  • The letter Vav plays a significant role in the structure of Hebrew words, often linking them together.

  • In the phrase 'Tefillah,' the presence of Vav indicates a connection between different parts of the prayer.

Synonyms

waw
vsvav
  • Specialized
1 9.9

The sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet that makes a 'w' or 'v' sound

sometimes functions as a symbol for vowel sounds

Surface Forms

vav singular
vavs plural

Etymology

Vav is the Hebrew name for the sixth letter and comes from an old Semitic word meaning 'hook' or 'peg', so you can picture the letter as a small hook. The letter makes the sound 'v' or 'w' and sometimes stands for a vowel, which is why the name vav is the name of the letter today.