Ajová

Ajová is a feminine adjective form used in some regional or dialectal varieties of Slavic languages to denote a relation to garlic. It is not part of standard culinary or linguistic vocabulary in major varieties such as Czech or Slovak, where garlic is normally referred to as česnek (Czech) or cesnak (Slovak). In places where ajová appears, it is typically used to label foods, flavors, or ingredients as garlicky or garlic-derived.

Etymology and form: The construction resembles common adjectival patterns in Slavic languages, where a noun or root related to a substance is combined with the feminine ending -ová. The underlying root may reflect a loanword for garlic found in various languages or dialects (for example, aj‑ or ajo‑ forms that echo Romance-language terms for garlic). Because ajová is not standardized, its exact origin and accepted usage vary by locale.

Usage and prevalence: Ajová is encountered mainly in informal writing, regional cookbooks, menus, or product descriptions that aim to signal a garlic-related characteristic. It is rare in formal dictionaries or prescriptive grammar guides, and speakers may prefer the standard terms for garlic flavors in their language. When used, ajová generally functions as a courtesy label rather than a precise scientific or culinary category.

See also: garlic, česnek, cesnak, ajo, etymology of food-related adjectives.