Standard Lemma guide

harissa

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /həˈɹɪsə/
  • /həˈɹiːsə/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A North African spice mix, containing chillis, garlic and salt, used as both a condiment and an ingredient.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A traditional Armenian dish: a kind of porridge made of previously stewed and boned chicken and coarsely ground soaked wheat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Arabic هَرِيسَة (harīsa).

From Armenian հարիսա (harisa), ultimately from Arabic هَرِيسَة (harīsa) and originally identical to Etymology 1 above.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: هَرِيسَة (harīsa) — spice mix
  • Hindi: हरीसा (harīsā) — spice mix
  • Russian: хари́сса (xaríssa) — spice mix
  • Swedish: harissa — spice mix
  • Armenian: հարիսա (harisa) — Armenian dish
  • Georgian: ჰარისა (harisa) — Armenian dish
  • Georgian: გიშრაფეთი (gišrapeti) — Armenian dish
  • German: Harissa — Armenian dish
  • Persian: هریسه (harise) — Armenian dish
  • Polish: harissa — Armenian dish
  • Tajik: ҳалиса (halisa) — Armenian dish