Holam

Holam or cholam (Israeli Hebrew: חוֹלָם, IPA: [χoˈlam]; Classical Hebrew: 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").