NYT Dictionary
HOURI
/ˈhʊɹ.i/NounHOU-rihou-ri · 2 syllablesAdvanced/Professional
Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2026
Meaning
A beautiful virgin girl supposed to dwell in Paradise for the enjoyment of the faithful.
Etymology
Origin: French
From French houri, from Persian حوری (hurî), from Arabic حُورِيّ (ḥūriyy) and Arabic حُورِيَّة (ḥūriyya), adjective and feminine singulative of حُور (ḥūr) from Classical Arabic حُورٌ عِينٌ (ḥūrun ʕīnun, “fair maidens, black-eyed ones”). See أَحْوَر m (ʔaḥwar), حَوْرَاء f (ḥawrāʔ) for the base adjective.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2026.