| Holam | |
| ֹ | |
| IPA | o or o̞ |
| Transliteration | o |
| English example | shore |
| Similar sound | Qamatz qaṭan, ḥataf qamatz |
| Ḥolam Example | |
| נֹעַר | |
| The word noʿar (youth) in Hebrew. The first vowel (over Nun, the dot above) is the ḥolam. | |
| Ḥolam male Example | |
| חוֹלָם | |
| The word ḥolam in Hebrew. The letter vav ⟨ו⟩ with the dot above it is the Ḥolam male itself. | |
| Other Niqqud | |
| Shva · Hiriq · Tzere · Segol · Patach · Kamatz · Holam · Dagesh · Mappiq · Shuruk · Kubutz · Rafe · Sin/Shin Dot | |
Holam or cholam (modern Hebrew: חוֹלָם, IPA: [χoˈlam], formerly חֹלֶם, ḥōlem) is a Hebrew niqqud vowel sign represented by a dot above the upper left corner of the consonant letter. For example, here the holam appears after the letter mem ⟨מ⟩: מֹ. In modern Hebrew, it indicates the mid back rounded vowel, [o̞], and is transliterated as an o.
The mater lectionis letter which is usually employed with holam is vav, although in a few words, the letters alef or he are used instead of vav. When it is used with a mater lectionis, the holam is called holam male (חוֹלָם מָלֵא, IPA: [χoˈlam maˈle], "full holam"), and without it the holam is called holam haser (חוֹלָם חָסֵר, IPA: [χoˈlam χaˈser], "deficient holam").