גאווה \ גַּאֲוָה
gaaváfeminine
The Hebrew word for pride is גאווה \ גַּאֲוָה (gaavá).
The word גאווה can be used both positively (to mean a sense of dignity or achievement) and negatively (to mean arrogance or conceit).
Meaning: quality or state of being proud, inordinate self-esteem, an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, rank etc. (noun)
Which one should you use?
While גאווה can be positive, the word גאוותנות specifically refers to the negative trait of being stuck-up or arrogant.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form גאווה \ גַּאֲוָה is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
gaavá
Did you know?
- Hebrew has a specific term, גאוות יחידה, which refers to the unique pride felt by soldiers serving in elite military units.
- In Jewish tradition, the concept of pride is often contrasted with ענווה, which translates to 'humility' but literally means 'making oneself small'.
- The root of גאווה is related to the word גובה, which means 'height'. This reflects the conceptual link between pride and the physical act of standing tall or looking down on others.
Example sentences for Hebrew are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pride” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
