# shiva

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈʃɪvə/ · frequency rank #18,952

## Definitions
1. A weeklong period of formal mourning for a close relative.

## Etymology
From Hebrew שִׁבְעָה (shiv'á, “seven”), referring to the number of days that shiva spans.

## Easily confused with
- **sia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiva-vs-sia)
- **Sina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiva-vs-sina)
- **Sita** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiva-vs-sita)
- **silva** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiva-vs-silva)
- **shove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiva-vs-shove)
- **Shona** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiva-vs-shona)
- **spina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiva-vs-spina)
- **shiver** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiva-vs-shiver)
- **shi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shi-vs-shiva)
- **sha** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sha-vs-shiva)
- **shit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shit-vs-shiva)
- **ship** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ship-vs-shiva)
- **shin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shin-vs-shiva)
- **Shea** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shea-vs-shiva)
- **shiv** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiv-vs-shiva)
- **Shih** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shih-vs-shiva)
- **shim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shim-vs-shiva)
- **shirt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shirt-vs-shiva)
- **shift** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shift-vs-shiva)
- **ships** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ships-vs-shiva)

## Common misspellings (7)
`hsiva`, `shhiva`, `shiav`, `shivva`, `shvia`, `sihva`, `sshiva`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/shiva