Andorran

mt-adjective

Andorran (feminine singular Andorrana, plural Andorrani)

Andorrana (feminine singular)
Andorrani (plural)


Angolan

Angolan (feminine singular Angolana, plural Angolani)

Angolana (feminine singular)
Angolani (plural)


Sri Lankan

Sri Lankan (feminine singular Sri Lankana, plural Sri Lankani)

Sri Lankana (feminine singular)
Sri Lankani (plural)

Sri Lankan (of, from or relating to Sri Lanka)


Turkmen

Turkmen (feminine singular Turkmena, plural Turkmeni)

Turkmena (feminine singular)
Turkmeni (plural)

Turkmen (of, from or relating to Turkmenistan)


Tongan

Tongan (feminine singular Tongana, plural Tongani)

Tongana (feminine singular)
Tongani (plural)


nej

nej (feminine singular nejja, plural nejjin)

nejja (feminine singular)
nejjin (plural)


sod

sod (feminine singular soda, plural sodi)

Borrowed from Italian sodo, from Latin solidus. Doublet of solidu.


frisk

frisk (feminine singular friska, plural friski)

friska (feminine singular)
friski (plural)

Minbarra l-ħalib, l-aħjar xarba għall-ulied huwa l-ilma frisk.

Apart from milk, the best drink for children is fresh water.


fond

fond (feminine singular fonda, plural fondi)

fonda (feminine singular)
fondi (plural)


bati

bati (feminine singular batja, plural batjin)

batja (feminine singular)
batjin (plural)


solvent

solvent (feminine singular solventa, plural solventi)

solventa (feminine singular)
solventi (plural)
solventi (alternative)


impost

mt-adj

impost (feminine singular imposta, plural imposti)

imposta (feminine singular)
imposti (plural)

multa imposta


dika

From Arabic دِيك (dīk, “rooster, cock”), with the feminine suffix -a.


deponent

deponenti (plural)
deponenti (alternative)


Amerikan

mt-adjective

Amerikan (feminine singular Amerikana, plural Amerikani)

Amerikana (feminine singular)
Amerikani (plural)

United States of America
United States of America#English

American (of, from or relating to United States of America)


divers

divers (feminine singular diversa, plural diversi)

diversa (feminine singular)
diversi (plural)

Borrowed from Italian diverso, from Latin diversus.

Il-problemi li jbatu minnhom il-familji foqra f’pajjiżna huma diversi ħafna.

The problems that poor families in our country suffer from are quite diverse.


Rumen

Rumen (feminine singular Rumena, plural Rumeni)

Rumena (feminine singular)
Rumeni (plural)

Romanian (of, from or relating to Romania)


Sloven

Sloven (feminine singular Slovena, plural Sloveni)

Slovena (feminine singular)
Sloveni (plural)

Slovene (of, from or relating to Slovenia)


terz

mt-adj

terz (feminine singular terza, plural terzi)

terza (feminine singular)
terzi (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian terzu or Italian terzo.


mans

mans (feminine singular mansa, plural mansi)

mansa (feminine singular)
mansi (plural)


depress

mt-adjective

depress (feminine singular depressa, plural depressi)

depressa (feminine singular)
depressi (plural)
dipress (alternative)


appellant

appellant (feminine singular appellanta, plural appellanti)

appellanta (feminine singular)
appellanti (plural)


musulman

musulman (feminine singular musulmana, plural musulmani)

musulmana (feminine singular)
musulmani (plural)

Borrowed from Italian musulmano, from Ottoman Turkish, from Persian مسلمان (mosalmân), from Arabic مُسْلِم (muslim), whence also inherited Maltese mislem (“Muslim”, noun).

Muslim (of persons, peoples, cultures: pertaining to Islam)


Russu

Russu (feminine singular Russa, plural Russi)

Russa (feminine singular)
Russi (plural)

Russian (of, from or relating to Russia)


lett

mt-adj

lett (feminine singular letta, plural letti)

letta (feminine singular)
letti (plural)

quddiesa letta

(liturgy) low, without music or ceremonials


buli

buli (feminine singular bulija, plural bulin)

bulija (feminine singular)
bulin (plural)


wati

mt-adjective

wati (feminine singular watja, plural watjin)

watja (feminine singular)
watjin (plural)


tari

tari (feminine singular tarja, plural tarja or torja or tarjin)

tarja (feminine singular)
tarja (plural)
torja (plural)
tarjin (plural)
tieri (alternative)

From Arabic طَرِيّ (ṭariyy), reanalysed in the form of a present participle.


ferm

ferm (feminine singular ferma, plural fermi or friem, comparative ifrem)

ferma (feminine singular)
fermi (plural)
friem (plural)
ifrem (comparative)

Dan minħabba l-interess li dejjem wera għat-tagħlim ferm qabel il-Griegi u r-Rumani.

2022, Alfred Massa, Il-Ħarba, Horizons, →ISBN, page 5:


belti

belti (feminine singular beltija, plural beltin)

beltija (feminine singular)
beltin (plural)

Vallettan (of or pertaining to Valletta, the capital of Malta)


profond

profond (feminine singular profonda, plural profondi)

profonda (feminine singular)
profondi (plural)


immens

immens (feminine singular immensa, plural immensi)

immensa (feminine singular)
immensi (plural)


blu

From Sicilian and/or Italian blu, from Old French bloe, from Frankish *blāu, from Proto-Germanic *blēwaz.


abjad

abjad (feminine singular bajda, plural bojod)

bajda (feminine singular)
bojod (plural)


sekond

sekond (feminine singular sekonda, plural sekondi)

sekonda (feminine singular)
sekondi (plural)


dilettant

dilettant (feminine singular dilettanta, plural dilettanti)

dilettanta (feminine singular)
dilettanti (plural)


safi

safi (feminine singular safja, plural safjin, comparative isfa)

safja (feminine singular)
safjin (plural)
isfa (comparative)

inh

Arabic صَافِي (ṣāfī)


militari

Borrowed from Italian militare. Doublet of militar.


importanti

Borrowed from Italian importante and/or Sicilian mpurtanti, both from Latin importans.

Din il-mistoqsija hija importanti, imma ħafna drabi ma naħsbux fiha.

This question is important, but often we don’t think about it.


dipendenti

Alternative form of dependenti: dependent


perenni

perennial, eternal, perpetual, never-ending, undying


indipendenti

Alternative form of independenti: independent


rari

mt-adjective

rari (feminine singular rara, plural rari)

Borrowed from Sicilian raru and/or Italian raro, both from Latin rarus.

Alternative form: (used in some fish and bird names) rar


uman

uman (feminine singular umana, plural umani)

umana (feminine singular)
umani (plural)

From Italian umano and/or Sicilian umanu, from Latin hūmānus.

Pereżempju qatt innutajtu s-simetrija bilaterali perfetta tal-ġwienaħ ta’ farfett, tad-denb ta’ pagun, jew għall-inqas tal-wiċċ uman?

2018, Antoinette Borg, Amina, Merlin Publishers, →ISBN:

For example, have you ever noticed the perfect bilateral symmetry of a butterfly’s wings, a peacock’s tail, or at least the human face?

(nominalised, fairly rare) human being; man


baħri

baħri (feminine singular baħrija, plural baħrin)

baħrija (feminine singular)
baħrin (plural)

From Arabic بَحْرِيّ (baḥriyy). By surface analysis, baħar + -i.


passiv

mt-adj

passiv (feminine singular passiva, plural passivi)

passiva (feminine singular)
passivi (plural)


tieni

inh

Arabic ثَانِي (ṯānī)

second (of a series or order, after first and before third)


aggressiv

mt-adjective

aggressiv (feminine singular aggressiva, plural aggressivi)

aggressiva (feminine singular)
aggressivi (plural)


sultani

sultani (feminine singular sultanija, plural sultanin)

sultanija (feminine singular)
sultanin (plural)

From Arabic سُلْطَانِيّ (sulṭāniyy). By surface analysis, sultan + -i.


frikativ

frikativ (feminine singular frikativa, plural frikativi)

frikativa (feminine singular)
frikativi (plural)


Afgan

Afgan (feminine singular Afgana, plural Afgani)

Afgana (feminine singular)
Afgani (plural)


repressiv

repressiv (feminine singular repressiva, plural repressivi)

repressiva (feminine singular)
repressivi (plural)


kannella

From Italian cannella or a Sicilian equivalent.


Albaniż

Albaniż (feminine singular Albaniża, plural Albaniżi)

Albaniża (feminine singular)
Albaniżi (plural)

Albanian (of, from or relating to Albania)


ċentinarju

mt-adj

ċentinarju (feminine singular ċentinarja, plural ċentinarji)

ċentinarja (feminine singular)
ċentinarji (plural)

Ultimately from Latin centēnārius (“containing hundred”), from centum (“hundred”). Doublet of qantar.


aħdar

mt-adjective

aħdar (feminine singular ħadra, plural ħodor, diminutive ħdajjar)

ħadra (feminine singular)
ħodor (plural)
ħdajjar (diminutive)

Ommi mara ħadra, dejjem tgħajjarni u ssawwatni.

My mum is a cruel woman, she’s always insulting and beating me.

(figuratively) cruel, brutal, malicious, vile


Daniż

Daniż (feminine singular Daniża, plural Daniżi)

Daniża (feminine singular)
Daniżi (plural)

Danish (of, from or relating to Denmark)


Ċek

Ċek (feminine singular Ċeka, plural Ċeki)


Għarbi

Għarbi (feminine singular Għarbija, plural Għarab or Għarbin)

Għarbija (feminine singular)
Għarab (plural)
Għarbin (plural)
għarbi (alternative)

From Arabic عَرَبِيّ (ʕarabiyy). One of the few words referring to Arabo-Islamic culture that was actually inherited (and not later reborrowed from Italian). Might also be used to refer to the early forms of Maltese language either by its speakers or foreigners who visited Muslim and later re-Christianized Malta.

il-konkwistaturi Għarab f’Malta

l-elementi Għarbin fil-Malti


baxx

baxx (feminine singular baxxa, plural baxxi, comparative (Gozo and Northern) ibxax or abaxx or ibaxx or ibjax)

baxxa (feminine singular)
baxxi (plural)
ibxax (Northern comparative)
abaxx (comparative)
ibaxx (comparative)
ibjax (comparative)

Il-għażla tar-rebbieħ
kienet tqila bis-sħiħ,
u Marzu Marzellu
fetaħ ir-rixtellu,
u tax-xita fir-raxx
parpar baxx baxx.

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Pika”, in Fl-Arena:


matematiku

matematiku (feminine singular matematika, plural matematiċi)

matematika (feminine singular)
matematiċi (plural)


kimiku

kimiku (feminine singular kimika, plural kimiċi)

kimika (feminine singular)
kimiċi (plural)


Ingliż

Ingliż (feminine singular Ingliża, plural Ingliżi)

Ingliża (feminine singular)
Ingliżi (plural)


Pollakk

Pollakk (feminine singular Pollakka, plural Pollakki)

Pollakka (feminine singular)
Pollakki (plural)
Polakk (alternative)
Poloniż (alternative)


Ġermaniż

Ġermaniż (feminine singular Ġermaniża, plural Ġermaniżi)

Ġermaniża (feminine singular)
Ġermaniżi (plural)


Spanjol

Spanjol (feminine singular Spanjola, plural Spanjoli)

Spanjola (feminine singular)
Spanjoli (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian spagnolu and/or Italian spagnolo.


Portugiż

Portugiż (feminine singular Portugiża, plural Portugiżi)

Portugiża (feminine singular)
Portugiżi (plural)


Grieg

Grieg (feminine singular Griega, plural Griegi)

Griega (feminine singular)
Griegi (plural)


Finlandiż

Finlandiż (feminine singular Finlandiża, plural Finlandiżi)

Finlandiża (feminine singular)
Finlandiżi (plural)


iswed

iswed (feminine singular sewda, plural suwed)

sewda (feminine singular)
suwed (plural)


bajda

From Arabic بَيْضاء (bayḍāʔ), related with etymology 1. See the lemma.


isfar

isfar (feminine singular safra, plural sofor)

safra (feminine singular)
sofor (plural)


Taljan

Taljan (feminine singular Taljana, plural Taljani)

Taljana (feminine singular)
Taljani (plural)


korrett

mt-adj

korrett (feminine singular korretta, plural korretti)

korretta (feminine singular)
korretti (plural)


tajjeb

mt-adjective

tajjeb (feminine singular tajba, plural tajbin or tajba, diminutive twajjeb, comparative aħjar or itjeb)

tajba (feminine singular)
tajbin (plural)
tajba (plural)
twajjeb (diminutive)
aħjar (comparative)
itjeb (comparative)


bosta

From Arabic بَسْطة (basṭa, “width, ampleness, increase, excellence”), rarer also بُسْطة (busṭa). Additionally, Maltese bosta is the regular outcome of Arabic بُسَطاء (busaṭāʔ, “the common people, the uneducated crowd”); it is possible, though not necessary, that this etymon also contributed to the Maltese word.


barri

mt-adjective

barri (feminine singular barrija, plural barrin)

barrija (feminine singular)
barrin (plural)


kwadrat

kwadrat (feminine singular kwadrata, plural kwadrati)

kwadrata (feminine singular)
kwadrati (plural)


attent

attent (feminine singular attenta, plural attenti)

attenta (feminine singular)
attenti (plural)


pulit

pulit (feminine singular pulita, plural puliti, comparative (Australia) iplet)

pulita (feminine singular)
puliti (plural)
iplet (Australia comparative)

Għax meta missieri kien jibni xi gallinar, jew xi xatba, jew xi kannizzata, qatt ma kien jixtri xejn, iżda jlaqqat u jillapazza b’dak li jsib. Imma jiena ma ridtx għarix mibni bl-imbarazz, iżda kamp sabiħ u pulit u b’saħħtu.

2008, Trevor Żahra, Il-Ġenn li Jżommni f’Sikti, Merlin Publishers, →ISBN:

(literally or figuratively) clean, neat, tidy


lura

Univerbation of il- + wara, literally “the back”.


militanti

u li nkun nista’ ninża’ l-libsa militanti u nirritorna lejn il-ħrejjef tas-sħaħar u l-paċi ta’ Wied Peprina


smin

mt-adj

smin (feminine singular smina, plural smien, diminutive smejjen, comparative ismen)

smina (feminine singular)
smien (plural)
smejjen (diminutive)
ismen (comparative)


passat

mt-adjective

passat (feminine singular passata, plural passati)

passata (feminine singular)
passati (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian passatu and/or Italian passato.


Malti

Malti (feminine singular Maltija, plural Maltin)

Maltija (feminine singular)
Maltin (plural)

From Arabic مالْطِيّ (mālṭiyy). By surface analysis, Malta + -i.


veru

veru (feminine singular vera, plural veri or vera)

vera (feminine singular)
veri (plural)
vera (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian veru and/or Italian vero, both from Latin verus.

il-veru sens tal-ħajja

(usually prepositioned) real, actual, true

tweġiba vera


stabene

Borrowed from Italian sta bene (literally “he/she is fine”).


sidri

mt-adjective

sidri (feminine singular sidrija, plural sidrin)

sidrija (feminine singular)
sidrin (plural)


emien

mt-adj

emien (feminine singular emiena, plural eminin or emiena)

emiena (feminine singular)
eminin (plural)
emiena (plural)


griż

mt-adjective

griż (feminine singular griża, plural griżi)

griża (feminine singular)
griżi (plural)

Ultimately from Vulgar Latin *grīsus, from Proto-Germanic *grīsaz (“grey”)


ramli

ramli (feminine singular ramlija, plural ramlin)

ramlija (feminine singular)
ramlin (plural)

From Arabic رَمْلِيّ (ramliyy). By surface analysis, ramel + -i.


intens

intens (feminine singular intensa, plural intensi)

intensa (feminine singular)
intensi (plural)


morr

morr (feminine singular morra, plural morri or morra, diminutive mrajjar)

morra (feminine singular)
morri (plural)
morra (plural)
mrajjar (diminutive)

From Arabic مُرّ (murr). Now usually declined like a Romance adjective with plural in -i.


miskin

miskin (feminine singular miskina, plural msieken, diminutive msejken)

miskina (feminine singular)
msieken (plural)
msejken (diminutive)


buffu

buffu (feminine singular buffa, plural buffi)

buffa (feminine singular)
buffi (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian buffu and/or Italian buffo.


ġdid

ġdid (feminine singular ġdida, plural ġodda or ġodod, comparative iġded)

ġdida (feminine singular)
ġodda (plural)
ġodod (plural)
iġded (comparative)

Ja Sena Ġdida,
għalkemm mal-wasla tiegħek
sew f’nofs il-lejl
int sibtni nidħaq ġewwa nofs il-ballu

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Lis-Sena l-Ġdida 1964”, in Fl-Arena:


oħxon

oħxon (feminine singular ħoxna, plural ħoxnin, comparative eħxen)

ħoxna (feminine singular)
ħoxnin (plural)
eħxen (comparative)


Sqalli

Sqalli (feminine singular Sqallija, plural Sqallin)

Sqallija (feminine singular)
Sqallin (plural)


awtomatiku

awtomatiku (feminine singular awtomatika, plural awtomatiċi)

awtomatika (feminine singular)
awtomatiċi (plural)


xettiku

xettiku (feminine singular xettika, plural xettiċi)

xettika (feminine singular)
xettiċi (plural)


pornografiku

pornografiku (feminine singular pornografika, plural pornografiċi)

pornografika (feminine singular)
pornografiċi (plural)


erotiku

mt-adj

erotiku (feminine singular erotika, plural erotiċi)

erotika (feminine singular)
erotiċi (plural)


speċifiku

mt-adjective

speċifiku (feminine singular speċifika, plural speċifiċi)

speċifika (feminine singular)
speċifiċi (plural)


sintetiku

sintetiku (feminine singular sintetika, plural sintetiċi)

sintetika (feminine singular)
sintetiċi (plural)


kbir

kbir (feminine singular kbira, plural kbar, comparative akbar or ikbar)

kbira (feminine singular)
kbar (plural)
akbar (comparative)
ikbar (comparative)

Hija sfida kbira li tikkonfronta u tbiddel l-imġieba ta’ kull wieħed u waħda minna.

It is a big challenge to change the behaviour of each and every one of us.

taħt it-tbissima
falza ta’ wiċċi
kien hemm in-niket
u dwejjaq kbar
u biża’ minnek.

Ta’ ferħ u serħ imlietni, u bħall-għasafar
u l-friefet jien għamilt: minn fjur għal fjur
ħsiebi tar bħal farfett, taħt siġra kbira
qalbi fesdqet il-għana bħal għasfur.

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Fil-Ġnien”, in Fl-Arena:

Kulħadd jimxi, kollox lajma,
jirkeb biss xi sinjur kbir:
bini l-għatx u tawni nixrob
minn ġos-satal fuq il-bir.

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Pjazza”, in Fl-Arena:


ċkejken

ċkejken (feminine singular ċkejkna, plural ċkejknin, comparative iċken)

ċkejkna (feminine singular)
ċkejknin (plural)
iċken (comparative)

Diminutive of older ċikken, still found in placenames.
Probably from a now lost variant of Sicilian picculu, of uncertain origin, but with related forms throughout Romance. To the Maltese form compare especially Corsican cicculu, further also Spanish chico and pequeño, Italian piccolo and piccino, all meaning “small, little”. The initial ċ- could go back to pre-Sicilian pl- (*pliccunu), from a metathesis, or it could be due to a merger with Latin ciccum (“trifle, bagatelle”), among other possibilities.
Lameen Souag (2018) proposes an alternative derivation from the eastern Berber word in Awjila ⴰⵎⴻⵛⴽⵓⵏ (aməškun, “small”) etc. This would have been borrowed into dialectal Arabic as *مَشْكُون (*maškūn), which looks like a passive participle from a root š-k-n. What speaks in favour of this, is the extensive development of the root ċ-k-n in Maltese; on the whole, however, the Romance etymology probably remains the more plausible, particularly as no such root seems to be attested in Maghrebi Arabic.

u lili firdu minn mal-art għal dejjem,
u jien sfajt blata u gżira l-aktar ċkejkna,
bi ftit faqqiegħ u ftit gremxul sewdieni
ngħix ħajja waħdi.

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral”, in Fanali bil-Lejl:


anġeliku

anġeliku (feminine singular anġelika, plural anġeliċi)

anġelika (feminine singular)
anġeliċi (plural)

Borrowed from Italian angelico, from Late Latin angelicus, derived from angelus.


xjentifiku

xjentifiku (feminine singular xjentifika, plural xjentifiċi)

xjentifika (feminine singular)
xjentifiċi (plural)


teknoloġiku

teknoloġiku (feminine singular teknoloġika, plural teknoloġiċi)

teknoloġika (feminine singular)
teknoloġiċi (plural)


ieħor

ieħor (feminine singular oħra, plural oħrajn or oħra)

oħra (feminine singular)
oħrajn (plural)
oħra (plural)

From Arabic آخَر (ʔāḵar). Compare Hebrew אחר (ʾaḥēr). The plural oħrajn is unusual in that the plural ending -in seems to have been added to the feminine ending (rather than replacing it as *oħrin). This might have to do with the fact that -a here goes back to Arabic long -ā, provided that the formation is of old age.

is-sena l-oħra


astronomiku

astronomiku (feminine singular astronomika, plural astronomiċi)

astronomika (feminine singular)
astronomiċi (plural)


uniku

uniku (feminine singular unika, plural uniċi)

unika (feminine singular)
uniċi (plural)


elettroniku

elettroniku (feminine singular elettronika, plural elettroniċi)

elettronika (feminine singular)
elettroniċi (plural)


ġeometriku

mt-adj

ġeometriku (feminine singular ġeometrika, plural ġeometriċi)

ġeometrika (feminine singular)
ġeometriċi (plural)
ġjometriku (alternative)
ġometriku (alternative)


bażiku

mt-adjective

bażiku (feminine singular bażika, plural bażiċi)

bażika (feminine singular)
bażiċi (plural)


tradizzjonali

Borrowed from Italian tradizionale and/or Sicilian tradizzionali.


żgħir

żgħir (feminine singular żgħira, plural żgħar, diminutive żgħajjar, comparative iżgħar)

żgħira (feminine singular)
żgħar (plural)
żgħajjar (diminutive)
iżgħar (comparative)

Ħwejjeġ żgħar.

Moħħu żgħir.

diskors żgħir.

soġġorn żgħir.


aħmar

aħmar (feminine singular ħamra, plural ħomor)

ħamra (feminine singular)
ħomor (plural)

Bl-istess libsa vjola, tikxifli ħobbok
lewn l-ewwel ftira ma’ ħjiel iż-żerniq,
bl-istess sandli, difrejk ħomor daqs qalbi,
u xagħrek immewweġ jofrogħ fir-riħ.

2021 [2017], Antoine Cassar, Erbgħin Jum, 2ⁿᵈ edition, Malta: Ede Books:


sabiħ

sabiħ (feminine singular sabiħa, plural sbieħ, diminutive sbejjaħ, comparative isbaħ)

sabiħa (feminine singular)
sbieħ (plural)
sbejjaħ (diminutive)
isbaħ (comparative)

Because when my father used to build some chicken coop, or some gate, or some arbour, he never bought anything, but frugally collects and patches with what he finds. But I did not want a tent built with rubbish, but a beautiful and neat and strong camp.


delizzjuż

delizzjuż (feminine singular delizzjuża, plural delizzjużi)

delizzjuża (feminine singular)
delizzjużi (plural)


psikoloġiku

psikoloġiku (feminine singular psikoloġika, plural psikoloġiċi)

psikoloġika (feminine singular)
psikoloġiċi (plural)

għajnuna psikoloġika

problemi psikoloġiċi

(loosely) Synonym of psikiku (“mental, referring to the psyche”)


muswaf

mt-adj

muswaf (feminine singular muswafa, plural muswafin or muswafa)

muswafa (feminine singular)
muswafin (plural)
muswafa (plural)


uffiċjali

Borrowed from Italian ufficiale and/or Sicilian ufficiali.


tassew

Univerbation of tas-sewwa, literally “of the truth”.


demokratiku

mt-adjective

demokratiku (feminine singular demokratika, plural demokratiċi)

demokratika (feminine singular)
demokratiċi (plural)
demokratku (alternative)


attiv

attiv (feminine singular attiva, plural attivi)

attiva (feminine singular)
attivi (plural)


ħażin

ħażin (feminine singular ħażina, plural ħżiena, comparative agħar or eħżen)

ħażina (feminine singular)
ħżiena (plural)
agħar (comparative)
eħżen (comparative)

From Arabic حَزِين (ḥazīn, “sad”). The semantic development was probably influenced by Sicilian tristu (“evil”) and tristi (“sad”), a doublet pair from Latin tristis (“sad”). Generally such a development is understandable from contexts like “sad news” and “bad news”, where they are more or less synonymous.


mejjet

mejjet (feminine singular mejta, plural mejtin or (archaic) mwiet)

mejta (feminine singular)
mejtin (plural)
mwiet (archaic plural)


ġeografiku

ġeografiku (feminine singular ġeografika, plural ġeografiċi)

ġeografika (feminine singular)
ġeografiċi (plural)


ġeografiċi

/d͡ʒɛ.ɔɡˈraː.fɪ.t͡ʃɪ/


allerġiku

allerġiku (feminine singular allerġika, plural allerġiċi)

allerġika (feminine singular)
allerġiċi (plural)

Jien allerġiku għall-klieb.


qadim

qadim (feminine singular qadima, plural qodma, diminutive qdajjem or qdejjem, comparative eqdem or aqdam or aqdem)

qadima (feminine singular)
qodma (plural)
qdajjem (diminutive)
qdejjem (diminutive)
eqdem (comparative)
aqdam (comparative)
aqdem (comparative)

Coordinate term: (of people) xiħ

U meta tiġi x-xitwa erħilha teqred
bir-rxiex, bis-silġ, bil-bard, bir-riħ u rwiefen
il-ħlejjaq qodma: weraq sfajra u morda,
u rix mitbiela,

1949-1952, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Ħolma tan-Natura”, in Qasba mar-Riħ, published 1977:


xiħ

xiħ (feminine singular xiħa, plural xjuħ, diminutive xwejjaħ, comparative ixjeħ or ixjaħ)

xiħa (feminine singular)
xjuħ (plural)
xwejjaħ (diminutive)
ixjeħ (comparative)
ixjaħ (comparative)


żagħżugħ

żagħżugħ (feminine singular żagħżugħa, plural żgħażagħ)

żagħżugħa (feminine singular)
żgħażagħ (plural)

From Arabic *زَغْزُوغ (*zaḡzūḡ), variant of زَعْزُوع (zaʕzūʕ, “thin, meagre, lanky”); compare زُغْزُغ (zuḡzuḡ, “short, small”).


sħun

sħun (feminine singular sħuna, plural sħan)

From a Maghrebi variant of Arabic سُخْن (suḵn). Compare Moroccan Arabic سخون (sḵūn).


kiesaħ

kiesaħ (feminine singular kiesħa, plural kiesħa or kesħin)

kiesħa (feminine singular)
kiesħa (plural)
kesħin (plural)

Probably from Arabic قَاسِح (qāsiḥ, “hard”), in closely related Tunisian Arabic also كاسح (kāsiḥ). This adjective is used in Morocco in the collocation برد قاسح (bard qāsiḥ, “severe cold”). The sense “cold” could also derive from “hard” → “frozen” → “cold”, but this may be less likely given the extreme rarity of frost in the Maltese islands (as of 2019 unrecorded with standard instruments, the official record low being 1.4 °C). Alternatively, the Maltese adjective might be from Arabic كاسِح (kāsiḥ, “blustering”), referring to cold winter winds.


ikrah

ikrah (feminine singular kerha, plural koroh, diminutive krejjeh)

kerha (feminine singular)
koroh (plural)
krejjeh (diminutive)
ikreh (alternative)

Alteration of Arabic كَرِيه (karīh, “hateful, ugly”) by analogy with other Color and defect adjectives.


xeniku

xeniku (feminine singular xenika, plural xeniċi)

xenika (feminine singular)
xeniċi (plural)


faċli

From Sicilian facili and/or Italian facile, both from Latin facilis.


diffiċli

From Sicilian difficili and/or Italian difficile, from Latin difficilis.


ħieles

ħieles (feminine singular ħielsa, plural ħelsin)

ħielsa (feminine singular)
ħelsin (plural)


simpatiku

simpatiku (feminine singular simpatika, plural simpatiċi)

simpatika (feminine singular)
simpatiċi (plural)


ambizzjuż

ambizzjuż (feminine singular ambizzjuża, plural ambizzjużi)

ambizzjuża (feminine singular)
ambizzjużi (plural)


sistematiku

sistematiku (feminine singular sistematika, plural sistematiċi)

sistematika (feminine singular)
sistematiċi (plural)


dgħajjef

dgħajjef (feminine singular dgħajfa, plural dgħajfin)

dgħajfa (feminine singular)
dgħajfin (plural)

From Arabic ضُعَيِّف (ḍuʕayyif), diminutive of ضَعِيف (ḍaʕīf), whence Maltese dgħif (“lean”).


qawwi

qawwi (feminine singular qawwija, plural qawwijin, comparative aqwa or iqwa)

qawwija (feminine singular)
qawwijin (plural)
aqwa (comparative)
iqwa (comparative)

Inti l-aqwa ħabib tiegħi.

(expressing degree in certain contexts) much, great, good


elettromanjetiku

elettromanjetiku (feminine singular elettromanjetika, plural elettromanjetiċi)

elettromanjetika (feminine singular)
elettromanjetiċi (plural)


fidil

mt-adj

fidil (feminine singular fidila, plural fidili)

fidila (feminine singular)
fidili (plural)


traġiku

traġiku (feminine singular traġika, plural traġiċi)

traġika (feminine singular)
traġiċi (plural)


putent

mt-adjective

putent (feminine singular putenta, plural putenti)

putenta (feminine singular)
putenti (plural)

Alternative form of potenti: potent, mighty


temperat

mt-adj

temperat (feminine singular temperata, plural temperati)

temperata (feminine singular)
temperati (plural)


aktar

ħaġa aktar importanti

l-aktar ħaġa importanti

Used to form the compared forms of adjectives that do not have a special comparative form.


definit

mt-adjective

definit (feminine singular definita, plural definiti)

definita (feminine singular)
definiti (plural)


indefinit

indefinit (feminine singular indefinita, plural indefiniti)

indefinita (feminine singular)
indefiniti (plural)


liebet

liebet (feminine singular liebta, plural libtin)

liebta (feminine singular)
libtin (plural)


minorat

minorat (feminine singular minorata, plural minorati)

minorata (feminine singular)
minorati (plural)


korsar

mt-adj

korsar (feminine singular korsara, plural korsari)

korsara (feminine singular)
korsari (plural)
kursar (alternative)
kursal (alternative)


migru

mt-adjective

migru (feminine singular migra, plural migri)

migra (feminine singular)
migri (plural)


għarqan

għarqan (feminine singular għarqana, plural għarqana or għarqanin)

għarqana (feminine singular)
għarqana (plural)
għarqanin (plural)


imqareb

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of mqareb


Katalan

Katalan (feminine singular Katalana, plural Katalani)

Katalana (feminine singular)
Katalani (plural)


tielet

third (of a series or order, after second and before fourth)


ewlieni

ewlieni (feminine singular ewlenija, plural ewlenin)

ewlenija (feminine singular)
ewlenin (plural)
ewwiel (alternative uncommon)
ewwieli (alternative uncommon)
ewlien (alternative uncommon)

From Arabic أَوَّلَانِيّ (ʔawwalāniyy), non-classical derivative from أَوَّل (ʔawwal, “first”), whence Maltese ewwel. By surface analysis, ewwel + -ieni.

inh

أَوَّلَانِيّ


karim

mt-adjective

karim (feminine singular karima, plural kriem)

karima (feminine singular)
kriem (plural)

From Arabic كَرِيم (karīm, “kind, honourable, noble, generous”).

inh

generous (by disposition), noble, honourable, magnanimous


inuman

mt-adj

inuman (feminine singular inumana, plural inumani)

inumana (feminine singular)
inumani (plural)


trux

mt-adjective

trux (feminine singular truxa, plural torox, diminutive trajjax or trajjex)

truxa (feminine singular)
torox (plural)
trajjax (diminutive)
trajjex (diminutive)

From Arabic. The Maltese plural directly continues طُرْش (ṭurš), plural of أَطْرَش (ʔaṭraš). The singular might go back to an intensive/frequentative form *طَرُوش (*ṭarūš) or might be a backformation from truxija (“deafness”).
Sense 2 is usually used for the geminated verbs, possibly called as such due to being ‘less responsive’ to change in structure.


sufi

sufi (feminine singular sufija, plural sufin)

sufija (feminine singular)
sufin (plural)


kimika

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


Franċiż

mt-adjective

Franċiż (feminine singular Franċiża, plural Franċiżi)

Franċiża (feminine singular)
Franċiżi (plural)


Korsikan

Korsikan (feminine singular Korsikana, plural Korsikani)

Korsikana (feminine singular)
Korsikani (plural)


Żvediż

Żvediż (feminine singular Żvediża, plural Żvediżi)

Żvediża (feminine singular)
Żvediżi (plural)
Svediż (alternative)

Swedish (of, from or relating to Sweden)


Asturjan

Asturjan (feminine singular Asturjana, plural Asturjani)

Asturjana (feminine singular)
Asturjani (plural)

Asturian (of, from or relating to Asturias)


Tajlandiż

Tajlandiż (feminine singular Tajlandiża, plural Tajlandiżi)

Tajlandiża (feminine singular)
Tajlandiżi (plural)


xemxi

xemxi (feminine singular xemxija, plural xemxin)

xemxija (feminine singular)
xemxin (plural)

From xemx (“sun”) + -i. As such perhaps inherited from Arabic شَمْسِيّ (šamsiyy, “solar”), but in the grammatical sense a calque of the Arabic.

(grammar, of a consonant) assimilating to the definite article il- (which see)


Estonjan

Estonjan (feminine singular Estonjana, plural Estonjani)

Estonjana (feminine singular)
Estonjani (plural)


Fawriż

Fawriż (feminine singular Fawriża, plural Fawriżi)

Fawriża (feminine singular)
Fawriżi (plural)


Belarussu

Belarussu (feminine singular Belarussa, plural Belarussi)

Belarussa (feminine singular)
Belarussi (plural)


Bulgaru

Bulgaru (feminine singular Bulgara, plural Bulgari)

Bulgara (feminine singular)
Bulgari (plural)


Olandiż

Olandiż (feminine singular Olandiża, plural Olandiżi)

Olandiża (feminine singular)
Olandiżi (plural)


Iżlandiż

Iżlandiż (feminine singular Iżlandiża, plural Iżlandiżi)

Iżlandiża (feminine singular)
Iżlandiżi (plural)


Irlandiż

Irlandiż (feminine singular Irlandiża, plural Irlandiżi)

Irlandiża (feminine singular)
Irlandiżi (plural)


Isvediż

Alternative form of Svediż, used after the definite article


ċip

ċip (invariable, comparative iċep or iċjep or ċipa)

iċep (comparative)
iċjep (comparative)
ċipa (comparative)


Gallegjan

Gallegjan (feminine singular Gallegjana, plural Gallegjani)

Gallegjana (feminine singular)
Gallegjani (plural)


Ewropew

Ewropew (feminine singular Ewropea, plural Ewropej)

Ewropea (feminine singular)
Ewropej (plural)


Każakistani

Każakistani (feminine singular Każakistana, plural Każakistani)

Każakistana (feminine singular)
Każakistani (plural)

Kazakh (of, from or relating to Kazakhstan)


Kroat

Kroat (feminine singular Kroata, plural Kroati)

Kroata (feminine singular)
Kroati (plural)

Croatian (of, from or relating to Croatia)


statistiku

statistiku (feminine singular statistika, plural statistiċi)

statistika (feminine singular)
statistiċi (plural)


Armenjan

Armenjan (feminine singular Armenjana, plural Armenjani)

Armenjana (feminine singular)
Armenjani (plural)

Armenian (of, from or relating to Armenia)


Ċiniż

Ċiniż (feminine singular Ċiniża, plural Ċiniżi)

Ċiniża (feminine singular)
Ċiniżi (plural)


Ġappuniż

Ġappuniż (feminine singular Ġappuniża, plural Ġappuniżi)

Ġappuniża (feminine singular)
Ġappuniżi (plural)

Japanese (of, from or relating to Japan)


Ġorġjan

Ġorġjan (feminine singular Ġorġjana, plural Ġorġjani)

Ġorġjana (feminine singular)
Ġorġjani (plural)


Indoneżjan

Indoneżjan (feminine singular Indoneżjana, plural Indoneżjani)

Indoneżjana (feminine singular)
Indoneżjani (plural)

Indonesian (of, from or relating to Indonesia)


Latvjan

Latvjan (feminine singular Latvjana, plural Latvjani)

Latvjana (feminine singular)
Latvjani (plural)

Latvian (of, from or relating to Latvia)


Litwanjan

Litwanjan (feminine singular Litwanjana, plural Litwanjani)

Litwanjana (feminine singular)
Litwanjani (plural)

Synonym of Litwan: Lithuanian (of, from or relating to Lithuania)


Litwan

Litwan (feminine singular Litwana, plural Litwani)

Litwana (feminine singular)
Litwani (plural)

Lithuanian (of, from or relating to Lithuania)


Malażjan

Malażjan (feminine singular Malażjana, plural Malażjani)

Malażjana (feminine singular)
Malażjani (plural)


Vjetnamiż

Vjetnamiż (feminine singular Vjetnamiża, plural Vjetnamiżi)

Vjetnamiża (feminine singular)
Vjetnamiżi (plural)

Vietnamese (of, from or relating to Vietnam)


Malazjan

Malazjan (feminine singular Malazjana, plural Malazjani)

Malazjana (feminine singular)
Malazjani (plural)

Malaysian (of, from or relating to Malaysia)


Maċedonjan

Maċedonjan (feminine singular Maċedonjana, plural Maċedonjani)

Maċedonjana (feminine singular)
Maċedonjani (plural)

North Macedonian
North Macedonian#English

North Macedonian (of, from or relating to North Macedonia)


Tork

Tork (feminine singular Torka, plural Torok or Torki)

Torka (feminine singular)
Torok (plural)
Torki (plural)

Influenced by Italian turco, but the word as such was inherited from Arabic تُرْكِيّ (turkiyy). The more original form still in the place name Għar it-Torkija (literally “cave of the Turkish woman”).

Dalgħodu tkellimt ma’ żewġ turisti Torok.

This morning I spoke with two Turkish tourists.

It-tifel għadu Tork.

(dated, sometimes offensive) non-Christian or not properly Christian; impious; not (yet) baptised

(dated, sometimes offensive) dark-skinned, negroid


Mongoljan

mt-adj

Mongoljan (feminine singular Mongoljana, plural Mongoljani)

Mongoljana (feminine singular)
Mongoljani (plural)


Ukren

mt-adjective

Ukren (feminine singular Ukrena, plural Ukreni)

Ukrena (feminine singular)
Ukreni (plural)

Ukrainian (of, from or relating to Ukraine)


Użbek

Użbek (feminine singular Użbeka, plural Użbeki)

Użbeka (feminine singular)
Użbeki (plural)

Uzbek (of, from or relating to Uzbekistan)


Ungeriż

Ungeriż (feminine singular Ungeriża, plural Ungeriżi)

Ungeriża (feminine singular)
Ungeriżi (plural)

Hungarian (of, from or relating to Hungary)


politiku

politiku (feminine singular politika, plural politiċi)

politika (feminine singular)
politiċi (plural)

Borrowed from Italian politico, from Latin politicus, from Ancient Greek πολιτικός (politikós).


ekonomiku

ekonomiku (feminine singular ekonomika, plural ekonomiċi)

ekonomika (feminine singular)
ekonomiċi (plural)


skur

skur (feminine singular skura, plural skuri)

skura (feminine singular)
skuri (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian scuru, from Latin obscurus.

Fis-sajf il-għolja
libset il-libsa skura
tal-ħaxix niexef.

Anton Buttigieg, “Ħajku 236”, in Il-Muża bil-Kimono:

In summer the hill
put on the brown frock
of the fried grass.


intensiv

intensiv (feminine singular intensiva, plural intensivi)

intensiva (feminine singular)
intensivi (plural)


twil

twil (feminine singular twila, plural twal, diminutive twajjel, comparative itwal)

twila (feminine singular)
twal (plural)
twajjel (diminutive)
itwal (comparative)

F’din il-foresta hemm ħafna siġar twal.

In this forest there are a lot of tall trees.

Jien, li fl-imħabba kelli biss sensiela twila ta’ diżappunti; jien li kont bdejt nemmen li qatt mhu se nsib lil min iħobbni, issa kont ħassejt li f’salt wieħed seħħ miraklu. Kont skirt bl-imħabba.

Wara l-bibien,
fit-tul tat-toroq twal,
batejt
il-għeja
il-qtigħ ta’ qalb,
batejt fuq kollox il-mistħija;
iżda ġarrabt ukoll
il-ferħ u l-għaxqa
li kull tallab iħoss
x’ħin jasal wisq għajjien bil-ħorġa f’idu
bil-ħobż għand ommu mġewħa.

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “It-Tallab”, in Fl-Arena:

Int kellek id-dijabete għal żmien twil.


wiesa'

wiesa’ (feminine singular wiesgħa, plural wiesgħa or wesgħin or wisgħin, comparative usa’)

wiesa’ (canonical)
wiesgħa (feminine singular)
wiesgħa (plural)
wesgħin (plural)
wisgħin (plural)
usa’ (comparative)
wasa’ (alternative)

Il-babuni huma omnivori u jieklu varjetà wiesgħa ta’ ikel.

Baboons are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of foods.

Dawn fihom programmi speċifiċi li jitrattaw ma’ oqsma xjentifiċi wiesgħa / wisgħin .

They are made up of specific programmes dealing with broad scientific fields.


tqil

tqil (feminine singular tqila, plural tqal, comparative itqal)

tqila (feminine singular)
tqal (plural)
itqal (comparative)

Il-għażla tar-rebbieħ
kienet tqila bis-sħiħ,
u Marzu Marzellu
fetaħ ir-rixtellu,
u tax-xita fir-raxx
parpar baxx baxx.


qasir

qasir (feminine singular qasira, plural qosra or qsar or qosor or qosrien or iqsar, diminutive qsajjar, comparative aqsar or iqsar or eqsar)

qasira (feminine singular)
qosra (plural)
qsar (plural)
qosor (plural)
qosrien (plural)
iqsar (plural)
qsajjar (diminutive)
aqsar (comparative)
iqsar (comparative)
eqsar (comparative)


dejjaq

dejjaq (feminine singular dejqa, plural dejqin or dojoq, comparative idjaq)

dejqa (feminine singular)
dejqin (plural)
dojoq (plural)
idjaq (comparative)

From Arabic ضَيِّق (ḍayyiq). The expected form would be *dajjaq due to the originally emphatic ḍ (compare tajjeb). This influence was either levelled out in Maltese or the underlying form was a dissimilated variant dayyiq, ḏayyiq, which exists in several Arabic dialects.


irqiq

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of rqiq


mieles

mieles (feminine singular mielsa, plural milsin)

mielsa (feminine singular)
milsin (plural)

From Arabic مَالِس (mālis), dialectal variant of مَلِس (malis). Compare Moroccan Arabic مالس (mālis).


bidwi

bidwi (feminine singular bidwija, plural bidwin)

bidwija (feminine singular)
bidwin (plural)

From Arabic بَدَوِيّ (badawiyy, “bedouin, nomad, herdsman”).


Sqallija

From Arabic صِقِلِّيَّة (ṣiqilliyya). One of the very few geographical names from outside Malta that were inherited.


Nisrani

mt-adjective

Nisrani (feminine singular Nisranija, plural Nsara)

Nisranija (feminine singular)
Nsara (plural)

din Nisrani ― Christianity

reliġjon Nisranija ― Christianity

Christian (of, like or relating to Christianity or Christians)

(more specifically) Roman Catholic (of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church)


Nisranija

inh

نَصْرَانِيَّة


Għawdxi

mt-adjective

Għawdxi (feminine singular Għawdxija, plural Għawdxin)

Għawdxija (feminine singular)
Għawdxin (plural)

/ˈaˤːw.t͡ʃɪ/


sbejjaħ

sbejjaħ (feminine singular sbejħa, plural sbejħin)

sbejħa (feminine singular)
sbejħin (plural)

diminutive of sabiħ: pretty, nice, beautiful


ħelu

ħelu (feminine singular ħelwa, plural ħelwin, diminutive ħlejju, comparative oħla or eħla or iħla)

ħelwa (feminine singular)
ħelwin (plural)
ħlejju (diminutive)
oħla (comparative)
eħla (comparative)
iħla (comparative)


falz

falz (feminine singular falza, plural foloz)

falza (feminine singular)
foloz (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian falsu and/or Italian falso, from Latin falsus.

(nominalized, in the definite) falsehood


stramb

mt-adj

stramb (feminine singular stramba, plural strambi)

stramba (feminine singular)
strambi (plural)

Borrowed from Italian strambo, from Vulgar Latin *strambus, from Latin strabus, from Ancient Greek στρᾰβός (străbós).

Dal-lejl ħlomt ħolma.
Waħda ħelwa, imma stramba.
Fil-verità, waħda li qed noħlom ta’ spiss.

2019, Kristina Borg, Imkejjen u Rkejjen, Ede Books, →ISBN, page 18:

Last night I had a dream.
A pleasant dream, but strange.
Actually, it's a recurring dream.


bravu

mt-adjective

bravu (feminine singular brava, plural bravi, comparative (Australia) ibrav)

brava (feminine singular)
bravi (plural)
ibrav (Australia comparative)

Borrowed from Italian bravo and/or Sicilian bravu.


fiss

fiss (feminine singular fissa, plural fissi)

fissa (feminine singular)
fissi (plural)


lajk

mt-adj

lajk (feminine singular lajka, plural lajċi)

lajka (feminine singular)
lajċi (plural)


infinit

mt-adjective

infinit (feminine singular infinita, plural infiniti)

infinita (feminine singular)
infiniti (plural)


wardi

wardi (feminine singular wardija, plural wardin)

wardija (feminine singular)
wardin (plural)


adottat

adottat (feminine singular adottata, plural adottati)

adottata (feminine singular)
adottati (plural)


Tuvalan

Tuvalan (feminine singular Tuvalana, plural Tuvalani)

Tuvalana (feminine singular)
Tuvalani (plural)

Tuvaluan (of, from or relating to Tuvalu)


bgħid

bgħid (feminine singular bgħida, plural bgħad, diminutive bgħejjed, comparative ibgħad or ibgħed)

bgħida (feminine singular)
bgħad (plural)
bgħejjed (diminutive)
ibgħad (comparative)
ibgħed (comparative)

From Arabic بَعِيد (baʕīd). Unrelated with the family of bagħad (“to hate”), from Arabic بَغَضَ (baḡaḍa).


qrib

qrib (feminine singular qriba, comparative eqreb)

qriba (feminine singular)
eqreb (comparative)

From Arabic قَرِيب (qarīb). Doublet of the noun qarib (“relative”).


emotiv

emotiv (feminine singular emotiva, plural emotivi)

emotiva (feminine singular)
emotivi (plural)


Ebrew

mt-adj

Ebrew (feminine singular Ebrija, plural Ebrej)

Ebrija (feminine singular)
Ebrej (plural)


Lhudi

mt-adjective

Lhudi (feminine singular Lhudija, plural Lhudin)

Lhudija (feminine singular)
Lhudin (plural)

From Arabic يَهُودِيّ (yahūdiyy, “Jew, Jewish”). The definite form اَلْيَهُودِيّ (al-yahūdiyy) underwent assimilation -ly- → -ll- (compare illum from il-jum), whence a new basic form *lahūdī, *lhūdī by backformation.


xurban

mt-adjective

xurban (feminine singular xurbana, plural xurbana or xurbanin)

xurbana (feminine singular)
xurbana (plural)
xurbanin (plural)

From xorob (“to drink”). Compare North Levantine Arabic شربان (šarbān, širbān).


teoloġiku

mt-adjective

teoloġiku (feminine singular teoloġika, plural teoloġiċi)

teoloġika (feminine singular)
teoloġiċi (plural)


melodiku

melodiku (feminine singular melodika, plural melodiċi)

melodika (feminine singular)
melodiċi (plural)


għaref

għaref (feminine singular għarfa, plural għorrief)

għarfa (feminine singular)
għorrief (plural)

From Arabic عَارِف (ʕārif), active participle of عَرَفَ (ʕarafa, “to know”), whence Maltese jaf and għaraf.


barrani

barrani (feminine singular barranija, plural barranin)

barranija (feminine singular)
barranin (plural)

From Arabic بَرَّانِيّ (barrāniyy, “outer, external”). By surface analysis, barra + -ani.


ekoloġiku

mt-adjective

ekoloġiku (feminine singular ekoloġika, plural ekoloġiċi)

ekoloġika (feminine singular)
ekoloġiċi (plural)


ekoloġiċi

/ɛ.kɔˈlɔː.d͡ʒɪ.t͡ʃɪ/


Masri

Masri (feminine singular Masrija, plural Masrin)

Masrija (feminine singular)
Masrin (plural)

From Arabic مِصْرِيّ (miṣriyy). By surface analysis, Masar + -i.

(obsolete) Synonym of Eġizzjan (“Egyptian”)


inattiv

inattiv (feminine singular inattiva, plural inattivi)

inattiva (feminine singular)
inattivi (plural)


illużorju

illużorju (feminine singular illużorja, plural illużorji)

illużorja (feminine singular)
illużorji (plural)


reliġjuż

reliġjuż (feminine singular reliġjuża, plural reliġjużi)

reliġjuża (feminine singular)
reliġjużi (plural)

libertà reliġjuża u persekuzzjoni politika

religious liberty and political prosecution

Naħseb li huma reliġjużi.


lingwistiku

lingwistiku (feminine singular lingwistika, plural lingwistiċi)

lingwistika (feminine singular)
lingwistiċi (plural)


domestiku

mt-adj

domestiku (feminine singular domestika, plural domestiċi)

domestika (feminine singular)
domestiċi (plural)


elettriku

mt-adjective

elettriku (feminine singular elettrika, plural elettriċi)

elettrika (feminine singular)
elettriċi (plural)


artab

artab (feminine singular ratba, plural rotob)

ratba (feminine singular)
rotob (plural)

From Arabic رَطْب (raṭb). The Maltese feminine and plural go back directly to the Arabic adjective, while the masculine is the original comparative reinterpreted as the basic form by analogy with other adjectives for physical qualities and defects (compare aħrax, oħxon, etc.).


fieragħ

fieragħ (feminine singular fiergħa, plural fiergħa)

fiergħa (feminine singular)
fiergħa (plural)

From Arabic فَارِغ (fāriḡ, “empty, void, idle”).

inh

kliem fieragħ


qaddis

mt-adjective

qaddis (feminine singular qaddisa, plural qaddisin, comparative eqdes or aqdes)

qaddisa (feminine singular)
qaddisin (plural)
eqdes (comparative)
aqdes (comparative)


ħafna

ħafna (comparative aktar or iktar or iżjed)

aktar (comparative)
iktar (comparative)
iżjed (comparative)

From Arabic حَفْنة (ḥafna, “a handful”). The word refers to a small amount in Arabic, but developed the sense “much, many” over time; compare English pretty, rather (both “somewhat”, but also “very”), or quite a few.

Għafastha għax emozzjonata ħafna u għandi bżonn kbir li nħoss lil xi ħadd qrib tiegħi.


marid

marid (feminine singular marida, plural morda)

marida (feminine singular)
morda (plural)


magru

magru (feminine singular magra, plural magri)

magra (feminine singular)
magri (plural)
migru (alternative)


rqiq

rqiq (feminine singular rqiqa, plural rqaq, comparative irqaq)

rqiqa (feminine singular)
rqaq (plural)
irqaq (comparative)
irqiq (alternative also)


ftit

From Arabic فَتِيت (fatīt, “crumbs”, collective).

inh

Miexja fil-funeral ta’ kuġintha
mart it-tabib, li mietet fl-aħjar tagħha;
u f’moħħha ħsieb għaddej li t-tabib jista’
kif jgħaddi ftit taż-żmien, jitgħarras magħha.

1966, Anton Buttigieg, “Agnes”, in Ejjew Nidħku Ftit Ieħor:


kuntent

mt-adjective

kuntent (feminine singular kuntenta, plural kuntenti)

kuntenta (feminine singular)
kuntenti (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian cuntentu, from Latin contentus.


ċivili

Borrowed from Italian civile and/or Sicilian civili, both from Latin cīvīlis.


fqir

fqir (feminine singular fqira, plural fqar or foqra, diminutive fqajjar, comparative ifqar)

fqira (feminine singular)
fqar (plural)
foqra (plural)
fqajjar (diminutive)
ifqar (comparative)

Il-qasma bejn l-għonja u l-fqar qed tikber.

The gap between the rich and the poor is growing.

Ħarbat, mewwet dawk id-dwieli,
wild il-għaraq tal-ħaddiem,
żomm il-fqir ġol-gorboġ waħdu,
u bla ħobż, bla dawl, bla sliem!

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Ir-Riħ u l-Bnazzi”, in Mill-Gallerija ta’ Żgħożiti:

Destroy, kill those vines,
the offspring of the worker’s sweat,
keep the poor man in the hovel alone,
without bread, without light, without peace!

poor (lacking; of little financial means)


għani

għani (feminine singular għanja, plural għonja, comparative ogħna)

għanja (feminine singular)
għonja (plural)
ogħna (comparative)

inh

Arabic غَانِي (ḡānī)

(nominalised) a rich man, a wealthy person


dehbi

mt-adjective

dehbi (feminine singular dehbija, plural dehbin)

dehbija (feminine singular)
dehbin (plural)

From Arabic ذَهَبِيّ (ḏahabiyy). By surface analysis, deheb + -i.

gold; golden (made of gold and/or of its colour)


qiegħed

From Arabic قاعِد (qāʕid), present participle of قَعَدَ (qaʕada, “to sit”), whence Maltese qagħad.

din l-għaġla
ta’ kollox issa
ta’ iġri u ġerri
fuq xogħol qiegħed
il-minġel jitriegħed

2023, Keith Borg, magħġuna fit-tbenġil, Ede Books, →ISBN:

active participle of qagħad
located; being (in a place or state)

Kien hemm riħa t’ilma qiegħed.

(of water) stagnant, standing, motionless

active participle of qagħad
stagnant, standing, motionless

Ilni qiegħda minn meta Symone keċċietni mill-fabbrika tal-bnadar.

I have been unemployed since Symone fired me from the flag factory.

active participle of qagħad
(of a person) unemployed

used predicatively as a present copula referring to a temporary state (like Spanish estar, but not obligatory)


ħabrieki

ħabrieki (feminine singular ħabrieka, plural ħabrieka or ħabrikin)

ħabrieka (feminine singular)
ħabrieka (plural)
ħabrikin (plural)

diligent; working with diligence and effort


agħma

agħma (feminine singular għamja, plural għomja)

għamja (feminine singular)
għomja (plural)
għami (alternative)

inh

Arabic أَعْمَى (ʔaʕmā)


aħrax

mt-adjective

aħrax (feminine singular ħarxa, plural ħorox)

ħarxa (feminine singular)
ħorox (plural)

From Arabic أَحْرَش (ʔaḥraš, “rough, coarse”). Unrelated to English harsh, though speakers may now identify them with each other (cf. especially the feminine form).


iżraq

mt-adjective

iżraq (feminine singular żerqa, plural żoroq)

żerqa (feminine singular)
żoroq (plural)

(dated or puristic) azure; light blue approaching turquoise


ikħal

ikħal (feminine singular kaħla, plural koħol)

kaħla (feminine singular)
koħol (plural)

From Arabic أَكْحَل (ʔakḥal, “black, very dark grey or blue, the colour of kohl”).

inh

(dated or puristic) blue, especially dark blue


islamiku

mt-adjective

islamiku (feminine singular islamika, plural islamiċi)

islamika (feminine singular)
islamiċi (plural)
iżlamiku (alternative)


mbiegħed

mbiegħed (feminine singular mbiegħda, plural mbiegħda or mbegħdin)

mbiegħda (feminine singular)
mbiegħda (plural)
mbegħdin (plural)
imbiegħed (alternative also)

From Arabic مُبَاعَد (mubāʕad). Past participle of biegħed (“to remove”). Compare Moroccan Arabic مباعد (mbāʕad, mbāʕid).

pajjiżi mbiegħda

Huwa mbiegħed minn Alla.


għammieq

għammieq (feminine singular għammieqa, plural għammieqa)

għammieqa (feminine singular)
għammieqa (plural)

Going by the spelling, from an underlying Arabic *عَمّاق (*ʕammāq), which would seem to be an intensive form of عَمِيق (ʕamīq, “deep”). However, given the vocalic mergers involving għ and q in Maltese, the root would have been liable to irregular developments. Compare għamieq (“depth”) for more.


għażiż

għażiż (feminine singular għażiża, plural għeżież, comparative egħżeż or agħażż)

għażiża (feminine singular)
għeżież (plural)
egħżeż (comparative)
agħażż (comparative)


iebes

iebes (feminine singular iebsa, plural ibsin or ebsin, comparative ejbes)

iebsa (feminine singular)
ibsin (plural)
ebsin (plural)
ejbes (comparative)

From Arabic يَابِس (yābis). The initial /j/ was lost. Irregularities involving this consonant in initial position are common; compare jiena, jew with unetymological j-.

hard (demanding a lot of effort to endure)


għarib

għarib (feminine singular għariba, plural għorba or għariba)

għariba (feminine singular)
għorba (plural)
għariba (plural)

L-affarijiet isiru aħjar f’artijiet għorba.

Things are done better in foreign lands.

Lejn l-aħħar taż-żwieġ tagħna żewġi għamilli mistoqsija tassew għariba.

At the end of our marriage my husband asked me a really odd question.


għajjur

għajjur (feminine singular għajjura, plural għajjurin)

għajjura (feminine singular)
għajjurin (plural)

From Arabic غَيُور (ḡayūr, “jealous, zealous”).


muġugħ

mt-adjective

muġugħ (feminine singular muġugħa, plural muġugħin)

muġugħa (feminine singular)
muġugħin (plural)


rgħib

rgħib (feminine singular rgħiba, plural rgħab or rgħiba, diminutive rgħajjeb)

rgħiba (feminine singular)
rgħab (plural)
rgħiba (plural)
rgħajjeb (diminutive)

From Arabic رَغِيب (raḡīb, “desirous, voracious”).

inh

greedy, avaricious, stingy (eager to possess)


agħar

From Arabic *أَعَرّ (*ʔaʕarr). Related to għarr.


aħjar

Apparently from Arabic أَخْيَر (ʔaḵyar), elative of خَيْر (ḵayr), which latter also serves as an elative on its own. However, the long second syllable may point to influence by خِيار (ḵiyār) or أَخْيار (ʔaḵyār), plurals of the same خَيْر (ḵayr).


mqareb

mt-adjective

mqareb (feminine singular mqarba, plural mqarbin or mqarba)

mqarba (feminine singular)
mqarbin (plural)
mqarba (plural)
imqareb (alternative also)

According to Aquilina, from Arabic مُقَارِب (muqārib, “close to something”), as people that are naughty are generally annoying where to be so they would always be very close to you. Also possibly the active participle of a form III verb (*qareb) which no longer exists, if indeed it ever did, it probably means “to be troublesome”.


Svediż

mt-adjective

Svediż (feminine singular Svediża, plural Svediżi)

Svediża (feminine singular)
Svediżi (plural)
Isvediż (alternative)

(perhaps nonstandard) Alternative spelling of Żvediż


politiċi

/pɔˈliːtɪt͡ʃɪ/


għarwien

għarwien (feminine singular għarwiena, plural għarwenin or għeriewen or għariewen)

għarwiena (feminine singular)
għarwenin (plural)
għeriewen (plural)
għariewen (plural)

From Arabic عُرْيان (ʕuryān, “naked”) with irregular -w- instead of -j-.


kiefer

kiefer (feminine singular kiefra, plural kefrin)

kiefra (feminine singular)
kefrin (plural)


għatxan

għatxan (feminine singular għatxana, plural għatxana or għatxanin)

għatxana (feminine singular)
għatxana (plural)
għatxanin (plural)

inh

Arabic عَطْشان (ʕaṭšān)


mixgħul

mt-adjective

mixgħul (feminine singular mixgħula, plural mixgħulin)

mixgħula (feminine singular)
mixgħulin (plural)

inh

Arabic مَشْغُول (mašḡūl)

Geit ghandek scbini, ghandi en kelmek iek ma entis[c] mescghul.

ca. 1760, G.P.F. Agius de Soldanis, Discorso tra due contadini sopra il nuovo matrimonio di un figlio:

I’ve come to you, my friend. I need to talk to you, if you’re not busy.

Ġejt għandek, xbini. Għandi nkellmek, jekk m’intix mixgħul.


nadif

mt-adjective

nadif (feminine singular nadifa, plural ndaf or nodfa, comparative (dialectal) indaf)

nadifa (feminine singular)
ndaf (plural)
nodfa (plural)
indaf (comparative dialectal)

Ħalli postok nadif meta tmur.


mwiet

(archaic outside fixed expressions) plural of mejjet


ismar

ismar (feminine singular samra, plural somor)

samra (feminine singular)
somor (plural)

From Arabic أَسْمَر (ʔasmar, “brown, dark-skinned”).

inh

brown-skinned; tan; suntanned (having a skin colour that is relatively dark by standards of the Mediterranean, whether due to genetics or sun exposure)


rħis

mt-adjective

rħis (feminine singular rħisa, plural rħas, comparative irħas or orħos)

rħisa (feminine singular)
rħas (plural)
irħas (comparative)
orħos (comparative)
irħis (alternative also)


irħas

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of rħas


għali

għali (feminine singular għalja, plural għaljin, comparative ogħla)

għalja (feminine singular)
għaljin (plural)
ogħla (comparative)

inh

Arabic غَالِي (ḡālī)


ogħla

comparative degree of għali (“expensive”)


għoli

mt-adjective

għoli (feminine singular għolja, plural għoljin, comparative ogħla)

għolja (feminine singular)
għoljin (plural)
ogħla (comparative)

From Arabic عالِي (ʕālī, “high”). The irregular -o- probably from a merger with عُلْيَا (ʕulyā), feminine of أَعْلَى (ʔaʕlā, “higher, very high”), elative of the first-mentioned adjective. Because of this development, homophony with għali (“expensive”), from Arabic غالِي (ḡālī), was avoided; be it that this was by chance or that the beginning merger of Arabic ع (ʕ) and غ (ḡ) reinforced the vowel change.


iblah

iblah (feminine singular belha, plural boloh)

belha (feminine singular)
boloh (plural)


għaqli

għaqli (feminine singular għaqlija, plural għaqlin)

għaqlija (feminine singular)
għaqlin (plural)

From Arabic عَقْلِيّ (ʕaqliyy). By surface analysis, għaqal + -i.


stupidu

stupidu (feminine singular stupida, plural stupidi)

stupida (feminine singular)
stupidi (plural)
stuptu (alternative)


biered

biered (feminine singular bierda, plural bierda or berdin, comparative ibred)

bierda (feminine singular)
bierda (plural)
berdin (plural)
ibred (comparative)

tepid; cool (lacking warmth, but not really cold either; of neutral temperature)

(figurative) lukewarm; lacking enthusiasm


diefi

diefi (feminine singular diefja, plural diefja or defjin)

diefja (feminine singular)
diefja (plural)
defjin (plural)


nieqes

nieqes (feminine singular nieqsa, plural neqsin or nieqsa)

nieqsa (feminine singular)
neqsin (plural)
nieqsa (plural)

(of a person) missing; of unknown whereabouts


xebgħan

xebgħan (feminine singular xebgħana, plural xebgħana or xebgħanin)

xebgħana (feminine singular)
xebgħana (plural)
xebgħanin (plural)

inh

Arabic شَبْعَان (šabʕān)


fukran

mt-adjective

fukran (feminine singular fukrana, plural fukranin)

fukrana (feminine singular)
fukranin (plural)


volontarju

volontarju (feminine singular volontarja, plural volontarji)

volontarja (feminine singular)
volontarji (plural)

voluntary, wilful, intentional, deliberate


żgħajjar

żgħajjar (feminine singular żgħajra, plural żgħajrin)

żgħajra (feminine singular)
żgħajrin (plural)


Brażiljan

Brażiljan (feminine singular Brażiljana, plural Brażiljani)

Brażiljana (feminine singular)
Brażiljani (plural)


qamri

qamri (feminine singular qamrija, plural qamrin)

qamrija (feminine singular)
qamrin (plural)

From qamar (“moon”) + -i. Probably not inherited from equivalent Arabic قَمَرِيّ (qamariyy), but in the grammatical sense calqued on the Arabic.

(grammar, of a consonant) not assimilating to the definite article il- (which see)


ċar

ċar (feminine singular ċara, plural ċari)

Borrowed from Sicilian chiaru, ciaru, from Latin clarus.

“Ħallini nagħmilhielek ċara. Ix-xewqa tagħkom ma tistax titwettaq kif ġieb u laħaq.”

2018 [1977], Alfred Massa, L-Istar tal-Imgħoddi, 2nd edition, Horizons, page 61:


ħati

ħati (feminine singular ħatja, plural ħatjin)

ħatja (feminine singular)
ħatjin (plural)

inh

Arabic خَاطِئ (ḵāṭiʔ)

(nominalised) delinquent; offender; culprit


salvaġġ

mt-adjective

salvaġġ (feminine singular salvaġġa, plural slavaġ or salvaġġi)

salvaġġa (feminine singular)
slavaġ (plural)
salvaġġi (plural)
selvaġġ (alternative)

From an older variant of either Sicilian sarvaggiu or Italian selvaggio, eventually from Latin silvaticus, from silva (“forest”).


dgħif

dgħif (feminine singular dgħifa, plural dgħifa or dgħaf)

dgħifa (feminine singular)
dgħifa (plural)
dgħaf (plural)

From Arabic ضَعِيف (ḍaʕīf, “weak”). The original sense is continued by dgħajjef, from a diminutive.


ħafif

ħafif (feminine singular ħafifa, plural ħfief, comparative eħfef)

ħafifa (feminine singular)
ħfief (plural)
eħfef (comparative)

“IMMA … mhux se teħlisha ħafif għal li għamilt, Amina. Ma nistax nibqa’ nwissik biss u int tibqa’ tagħmel ta’ rasek. Dawn il-jumejn, illum u għada, se tqattagħhom f’kamra waħdek, f’dan is-sular. Mhux se tattendi lezzjonijiet —”

2018, Antoinette Borg, Amina, Merlin Publishers, →ISBN:


deċiż

deċiż (feminine singular deċiża, plural deċiżi)

deċiża (feminine singular)
deċiżi (plural)


mudlam

mudlam (feminine singular mudlama, plural mudlamin or mudlama)

mudlama (feminine singular)
mudlamin (plural)
mudlama (plural)
midlam (alternative)

dark (not bright, especially through absence of light)


oskur

oskur (feminine singular oskura, plural oskuri)

oskura (feminine singular)
oskuri (plural)

Borrowed from Italian oscuro, from Latin obscurus. Doublet of earlier skur (“dark”), from Sicilian scuru.


ħanin

ħanin (feminine singular ħanina, plural ħnien)

ħanina (feminine singular)
ħnien (plural)

Apparently an alteration of Arabic حَنُون (ḥanūn) after the common adjective measure C-(a)-C-i-C. Compare Moroccan Arabic حنين (ḥnīn).

Ħanina, kemm inti ħelwa, ħelwa daqs il-passolina.
 Daqskemm qalbi tħobb lil ġismi, daqshekk inħobbok, ħanina!

Traditional, “Ja ħanina”, performed by Frans Baldacchino:

Darling, how sweet you are, as sweet as raisins.
 As much as my heart loves my own body, that much I love you, my darling!


miżerikordjuż

miżerikordjuż (feminine singular miżerikordjuża, plural miżerikordjużi)

miżerikordjuża (feminine singular)
miżerikordjużi (plural)

Borrowed from Italian misericordioso. By surface analysis, miżerikordja + -uż.


niexef

niexef (feminine singular niexfa, plural nexfin or niexfa, diminutive nwejxef)

niexfa (feminine singular)
nexfin (plural)
niexfa (plural)
nwejxef (diminutive)

Fis-sajf il-għolja
libset il-libsa skura
tal-ħaxix niexef.


umdu

umdu (feminine singular umda, plural umdi)

Borrowed from Sicilian ùmidu and/or Italian umido, from Latin (h)umidus.


xott

xott (feminine singular xotta, plural xotti)

xotta (feminine singular)
xotti (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian sciuttu, asciuttu, from Latin exsuctus.


għajjien

għajjien (feminine singular għajjiena, plural għajjenin or għajjiena)

għajjiena (feminine singular)
għajjenin (plural)
għajjiena (plural)

Dawn l-aħħar jiem kont ftit għajjien.

1976, “L-Aħħar Bidwi F'Wied il-Għasel”, performed by Sammy Bartolo and New Cuorey:

These past few days I’ve been a bit tired.

Wara l-bibien,
fit-tul tat-toroq twal,
batejt
il-għeja
il-qtigħ ta’ qalb,
batejt fuq kollox il-mistħija;
iżda ġarrabt ukoll
il-ferħ u l-għaxqa
li kull tallab iħoss
x’ħin jasal wisq għajjien bil-ħorġa f’idu
bil-ħobż għand ommu mġewħa.


ħaj

ħaj (feminine singular ħajja, plural ħajjin)

ħajja (feminine singular)
ħajjin (plural)

unripe, immature (fruit); undercooked (food)


kmieni

kmieni (invariable, comparative (Australia) ikmen)

Uncertain, but probably from Latin mane (“early in the morning”). The k- is explained by Joseph Aquilina as the preposition cum (“with”), as if from a Vulgar Latin phrase *cum mane (literally “with the early morning”).
Otherwise compare the Arabic root ك م ن (k m n) related to concealment and ambush; thus speculatively from the notion of getting up very early in order to do something in secret. Phonetically the word is quite reminiscent of dialectal Arabic كَمان (kamān, “also, as well”), from classical كَمَا أَنَّ (kamā ʔanna), but a semantic relation is hard to see.

kollox għafsa. kollox fastidju. forsi
għax għadu (wisq) kmieni. forsi.
għax dallejl xtaqt stajt nimtedd maġenbek
u dalgħodu stenbaħt
b’subgħajja mwebbla għal ponn ramel
u d-diqa mwebsa ma’ ħaddejja.

2022, Nadia Mifsud, meta tinfetaq il-folla, Ede Books, →ISBN:


fewwieħ

fewwieħ (feminine singular fewwieħa, plural fewwieħa)

fewwieħa (feminine singular)
fewwieħa (plural)


dirett

dirett (feminine singular diretta, plural diretti)

diretta (feminine singular)
diretti (plural)

Borrowed from Italian diretto, from Latin directus. Doublet of older dritt, from Sicilian.


rasuli

rasuli (feminine singular rasulija, plural rasulin)

rasulija (feminine singular)
rasulin (plural)

From Arabic رَسُولِيّ (rasūliyy). By surface analysis, rasul + -i.


daħkan

daħkan (feminine singular daħkana, plural daħkanin or daħkana)

daħkana (feminine singular)
daħkanin (plural)
daħkana (plural)
daħqan (alternative)

Il-Ħajja ma’ l-għarajjes
daret kollha daħkana;
għalihom ferħ biss kellha
u daqq u żfin u għana,
xita ta’ ross, xewqiet
f’għomor mimli għaxqiet;

1975, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Ħajja u l-Għarajjes”, in L-Għanja tas-Sittin:


velenuż

velenuż (feminine singular velenuża, plural velenużi)

velenuża (feminine singular)
velenużi (plural)

Borrowed from Italian velenoso. By surface analysis, velenu + -uż.

vvelena

avvalena, vvalena, vvaliena, avvelena, invalena


anġeliċi

/anˈd͡ʒɛː.lɪ.t͡ʃɪ/


erotiċi

/ɛˈrɔː.tɪ.t͡ʃɪ/


qalbieni

qalbieni (feminine singular qalbiena or qalbenija, plural qalbiena or qalbenin)

qalbiena (feminine singular)
qalbenija (feminine singular)
qalbiena (plural)
qalbenin (plural)

From qalb + -ieni, from Arabic قَلْب (qalb), perhaps after the expression قَوِيُّ القَلْبِ (qawiyyu l-qalbi, “courageous”, literally “strong of heart”).
The same notion exists in many languages, compare German beherzt, English take heart, etc. Compare also the etymology of courage.


kuraġġuż

kuraġġuż (feminine singular kuraġġuża, plural kuraġġużi)

kuraġġuża (feminine singular)
kuraġġużi (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian curaggiusu, from Old French corageus, eventually derived from Latin cor (“heart”). By surface analysis, kuraġġ + -uż.


rikk

rikk (feminine singular rikka, plural rikki)

rikka (feminine singular)
rikki (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian riccu and/or Italian ricco, from Vulgar Latin *rīcus, *riccus, from Proto-Germanic *rīkijaz.

Malta għandha wirt kulturali rikk.

(figurative) rich, replete, ample, varied


povru

povru (feminine singular povra, plural povri)

povra (feminine singular)
povri (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian pòviru and/or Italian povero, both from Latin pauper.

Dan il-povru raġel tilef lil martu u ibnu.

This poor man has lost his wife and son.

(figurative, prepositioned) poor (inspring pity)


lixx

lixx (feminine singular lixxa, plural lixxi)

lixxa (feminine singular)
lixxi (plural)


għami

għami (feminine singular għamja, plural għomja)

għamja (feminine singular)
għomja (plural)

Alteration of agħma, from Arabic أَعْمَى (ʔaʕmā). Specifically a backformation from the inflected forms għamja and għomja by analogy with such adjectives as għani (“rich”).

der

Arabic أَعْمَى (ʔaʕmā)

(chiefly colloquial) Alternative form of agħma (“blind”)


dehni

mt-adjective

dehni (feminine singular dehnija, plural dehnin)

dehnija (feminine singular)
dehnin (plural)

From Arabic ذِهْنِيّ (ḏihniyy). By surface analysis, dehen + -i.


ġust

ġust (feminine singular ġusta, plural ġusti)

ġusta (feminine singular)
ġusti (plural)

Borrowed from Italian giusto and/or Sicilian giustu, both from Latin justus.


waħxi

waħxi (feminine singular waħxija, plural waħxin)

waħxija (feminine singular)
waħxin (plural)


dagħaj

dagħaj (feminine singular dagħajja, plural dagħajja)

dagħajja (feminine singular)
dagħajja (plural)

Agent noun of dagħa, from Arabic دَعَا (daʕā).

blasphemous, foulmouthed, tending to curse


ħiemed

ħiemed (feminine singular ħiemda, plural ħemdin)

ħiemda (feminine singular)
ħemdin (plural)


hieni

hieni (feminine singular hienja, plural henjin or hienja)

hienja (feminine singular)
henjin (plural)
hienja (plural)

From Arabic هانِئ (hāniʔ, “happy”). The spelling with h instead of ħ is due to the fact that the Maltese root shows a mixed treatment of the onset. While hieni is usually pronounced with /ħ/, the noun hena is /ˈɛːna/, and the verbs henna, thenna allow both ways.


aħħar

From Arabic آخِر (ʔāḵir) with irregular gemination, perhaps after ewwel (“first”).

X’tagħmel jekk din tkun l-aħħar ġurnata ta’ ħajtek?

What would you do if this were the last day of your life?


ewwel

ewwel (feminine singular (obsolete) ula)

Din kienet l-ewwel darba li kont barra minn Malta.

This was the first time I was away from Malta.

Bl-istess libsa vjola, tikxifli ħobbok
lewn l-ewwel ftira ma’ ħjiel iż-żerniq,
bl-istess sandli, difrejk ħomor daqs qalbi,
u xagħrek immewweġ jofrogħ fir-riħ.

first (of a series or order, before second and third)


żgur

żgur (feminine singular żgura, plural żguri)

żgura (feminine singular)
żguri (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian siguru, from Latin securus.


ferħan

ferħan (feminine singular ferħana, plural ferħanin or ferħana)

ferħana (feminine singular)
ferħanin (plural)
ferħana (plural)


miġnun

miġnun (feminine singular miġnuna, plural mġienen)

miġnuna (feminine singular)
mġienen (plural)

From Arabic مَجْنُون (majnūn, “mad, crazy”, literally “possessed by an evil spirit”).


ħafi

mt-adjective

ħafi (feminine singular ħafja, plural ħafjin)

ħafja (feminine singular)
ħafjin (plural)


mewwi

mewwi (feminine singular mewwija, plural mewwijin)

mewwija (feminine singular)
mewwijin (plural)

Possibly the passive participle of Arabic آوَى (ʔāwā).


kaħlani

kaħlani (feminine singular kaħlanija, plural kaħlanin)

kaħlanija (feminine singular)
kaħlanin (plural)

Derived from ikħal, from Arabic أَكْحَل (ʔakḥal).

bluish; tinted in blue (of something not always blue, especially the sea and sky)


għeri

għeri (feminine singular għerija or għerja, plural għerja or għerjin or għorja)

għerija (feminine singular)
għerja (feminine singular)
għerja (plural)
għerjin (plural)
għorja (plural)


fietel

fietel (feminine singular fietla, plural fietla or fetlin)

fietla (feminine singular)
fietla (plural)
fetlin (plural)

From Arabic فَاتِر (fātir) with r/l-variation as fairly often in Maltese.

lukewarm; tepid (having a temperature close to room temperature or human body temperature)


oċeaniku

oċeaniku (feminine singular oċeanika, plural oċeaniċi)

oċeanika (feminine singular)
oċeaniċi (plural)


qalil

qalil (feminine singular qalila, plural qliel, comparative eqlel)

qalila (feminine singular)
qliel (plural)
eqlel (comparative)

fierce, severe, troublesome; naughty; harsh


irreliġjuż

irreliġjuż (feminine singular irreliġjuża, plural irreliġjużi)

irreliġjuża (feminine singular)
irreliġjużi (plural)


qares

qares (feminine singular qarsa, plural qarsin)

qarsa (feminine singular)
qarsin (plural)


mislub

mislub (feminine singular misluba, plural mislubin)

misluba (feminine singular)
mislubin (plural)


xitwi

xitwi (feminine singular xitwija, plural xitwin)

xitwija (feminine singular)
xitwin (plural)

From Arabic شَتْوِيّ (šatwiyy). By surface analysis, xitwa + -i.


mxajtan

mxajtan (feminine singular mxajtna, plural mxajtna or mxajtnin)

mxajtna (feminine singular)
mxajtna (plural)
mxajtnin (plural)


abbattut

abbattut (feminine singular abbattuta, plural abbattuti)

abbattuta (feminine singular)
abbattuti (plural)


għasli

għasli (feminine singular għaslija, plural għaslin)

għaslija (feminine singular)
għaslin (plural)

From Arabic عَسَلِيّ (ʕasaliyy). By surface analysis, għasel + -i.


faqgħa

Kemm tidher faqgħa!


sħiħ

sħiħ (feminine singular sħiħa, plural sħaħ, diminutive sħajjaħ, comparative isħaħ or isħeħ or (obsolete) asaħħ)

sħiħa (feminine singular)
sħaħ (plural)
sħajjaħ (diminutive)
isħaħ (comparative)
isħeħ (comparative)
asaħħ (comparative obsolete)

inh

Arabic صَحِيح (ṣaḥīḥ)

Coordinate term: dgħajjef


raħli

mt-adjective

raħli (feminine singular raħlija, plural raħlin)

raħlija (feminine singular)
raħlin (plural)


lsir

lsir (feminine singular lsira, plural lsiera or josra)

lsira (feminine singular)
lsiera (plural)
josra (plural)
rsir (alternative)
ilsir (alternative also)

From Arabic الأَسِير (al-ʔasīr), from أَسِير (ʔasīr) with fused definite article.


kburi

kburi (feminine singular kburija, plural kburin)

kburija (feminine singular)
kburin (plural)

Probably a backformation from kburija (“pride”), itself probably an alteration of Arabic كِبْرِياء (kibriyāʔ) after the common Maltese measure for abstract nouns (or otherwise an independent derivation from kbir with this measure).


fuqani

fuqani (feminine singular fuqanija, plural fuqanin)

fuqanija (feminine singular)
fuqanin (plural)


xewqan

xewqan (feminine singular xewqana, plural xewqanin or xwieqan)

xewqana (feminine singular)
xewqanin (plural)
xwieqan (plural)
xewqien (alternative)


żieni

żieni (feminine singular żienja, plural żienja or żenjin)

żienja (feminine singular)
żienja (plural)
żenjin (plural)

Prostituzzjoni tfisser ‘il-kummerċ fil-ħajja żienja għall-flus’ u dan ifisser li mhux kull mara żienja hija prostituta għaliex fejn m’hemmx l-għoti tal-flus, ir-rigal jew il-favur bi tpattija għal dan is-servizz, ma tistax tissejjaħ prostituzzjoni.

2017 November 5, “Reċensjoni tal-ktieb “Il-prostituzzjoni f’Malta””, in Kullħadd, page 26:

Prostitution means ‘dealing in a promiscuous lifestyle for money’, and this means that not every promiscuous woman is a prostitute because when there is no giving of money, gifts or favours in exchange for such service, this cannot be called prostitution.

lewd, promiscuous, adulterous; (especially religion) given to or constituting sexual sin


għażżien

għażżien (feminine singular għażżiena, plural għażżiena or għażżenin or għażżinin, diminutive għeżejżen)

għażżiena (feminine singular)
għażżiena (plural)
għażżenin (plural)
għażżinin (plural)
għeżejżen (diminutive)

Inherited from dialectal Arabic عَجْزان (ʕajzān). Compare Moroccan Arabic عجزان (ʕagzān).


farrad

farrad (feminine singular farrada, plural farradin or farrada)

farrada (feminine singular)
farradin (plural)
farrada (plural)


sejjer

sejjer (feminine singular sejra, plural sejrin)

sejra (feminine singular)
sejrin (plural)

From Arabic سائِر (sāʔir), active participle of سارَ (sāra). The verb was lost in Maltese as it became homophonous with sar (“to become”), from Arabic صارَ (ṣāra).

Jien u sejjer l-iskola, rajt kelb mejjet.

Fuq il-blata ġej u sejjer, fuq il-blata nerġa’ mmur.
 Għax hemmhekk għandi namrata, u xxejjirli bil-maktur.
 Ħanina, nitolbok ħaġa: Islifli ftit il-maktur!
 Dawk in-nies ma jkunux jafu, ’l ommok ma ngħidilhiex żgur.

To the rock I come and go, on the rock I always walk,
 For I have my sweetheart there, and she waves to me with a handkerchief.
 Darling, one thing I ask of you: Lend me that handkerchief a while!
 Those people won’t even know, and I sure won’t tell your mum.


battal

battal (feminine singular battala, plural battalin)

battala (feminine singular)
battalin (plural)


vojt

vojt (feminine singular vojta, plural vojta or vojti)

vojta (feminine singular)
vojta (plural)
vojti (plural)

From older Italian voito, variant of vuoto.


mielaħ

mielaħ (feminine singular mielħa, plural melħin, comparative imlaħ)

mielħa (feminine singular)
melħin (plural)
imlaħ (comparative)


fejjiedi

fejjiedi (feminine singular fejjedija, plural fejjedin)

fejjedija (feminine singular)
fejjedin (plural)


marradi

marradi (feminine singular marradija, plural marradin)

marradija (feminine singular)
marradin (plural)

Kienet tifla marradija.


leġiżlattiv

leġiżlattiv (feminine singular leġiżlattiva, plural leġiżlattivi)

leġiżlattiva (feminine singular)
leġiżlattivi (plural)


edukattiv

edukattiv (feminine singular edukattiva, plural edukattivi)

edukattiva (feminine singular)
edukattivi (plural)


erett

erett (feminine singular eretta, plural eretti)

eretta (feminine singular)
eretti (plural)


eżatt

eżatt (feminine singular eżatta, plural eżatti)

eżatta (feminine singular)
eżatti (plural)


ineżatt

ineżatt (feminine singular ineżatta, plural ineżatti)

ineżatta (feminine singular)
ineżatti (plural)


nazzjonalist

mt-adj

nazzjonalist (feminine singular nazzjonalista, plural nazzjonalisti)

nazzjonalista (feminine singular)
nazzjonalisti (plural)
nazzjonalista (alternative)


niedem

mt-adjective

niedem (feminine singular niedma, plural nedmin or nidmin)

niedma (feminine singular)
nedmin (plural)
nidmin (plural)

active participle of nidem: repentant, remorseful


sehwien

sehwien (feminine singular sehwiena, plural sehwenin)

sehwiena (feminine singular)
sehwenin (plural)


ħajjen

mt-adj

ħajjen (feminine singular ħajna, plural ħajnin)

ħajna (feminine singular)
ħajnin (plural)


daħkani

mt-adjective

daħkani (feminine singular daħkanija, plural daħkanija)

daħkanija (feminine singular)
daħkanija (plural)
daħqani (alternative)


umli

Borrowed from Sicilian ùmili and/or Italian umile, both from Latin humilis.


bnin

bnin (feminine singular bnina, plural bnien, comparative ibnen)

bnina (feminine singular)
bnien (plural)
ibnen (comparative)

From Arabic بَنِين (banīn). Compare Moroccan Arabic بنين (bnīn), Libyan Arabic بنين (bnīn) and Tunisian Arabic بنين (bnīn).


bajdan

bajdan (feminine singular bajdana, plural bajdanin)

bajdana (feminine singular)
bajdanin (plural)


bajdani

bajdani (feminine singular bajdanija, plural bajdanin)

bajdanija (feminine singular)
bajdanin (plural)

Niftakar
tal-qniepen il-mota ferrieħa,
u l-Ave Maria ta’ Schubert
taż-żahar il-fwieħa
u l-għafsa ta’ driegħek ma’ driegħi,
u l-ħeġġa ta’ wiċċek ħamrani,
u l-mantar bajdani
jitkaxkar mal-qiegħa
tal-korsija:
id-dija u d-dawl tal-parilja,
il-ħsejjes taż-żwiemel għaddejja,

1949-1952, Anton Buttigieg, “Niftakar”, in Qasba mar-Riħ, published 1977:


sajfi

sajfi (feminine singular sajfija, plural sajfin)

sajfija (feminine singular)
sajfin (plural)

From Arabic صَيْفِيّ (ṣayfiyy). By surface analysis, sajf + -i.


niedi

niedi (feminine singular niedja, plural niedja or nedjin)

niedja (feminine singular)
niedja (plural)
nedjin (plural)


waħdieni

waħdieni (feminine singular waħdenija, plural waħdenin)

waħdenija (feminine singular)
waħdenin (plural)
waħdani (alternative)

From Arabic وَحْدَانِيّ (waḥdāniyy). By surface analysis, wieħed + -ieni.


waħdani

waħdani (feminine singular waħdanija, plural waħdanin)

waħdanija (feminine singular)
waħdanin (plural)

From Arabic وَحْدَانِيّ (waḥdāniyy). By surface analysis, wieħed + -ani.


rebbieħi

rebbieħi (feminine singular rebbiħija, plural rebbiħin)

rebbiħija (feminine singular)
rebbiħin (plural)

/rɛbˈbɪː.ħɪ/


bidni

bidni (feminine singular bidnija, plural bidnin)

bidnija (feminine singular)
bidnin (plural)


ħamrani

ħamrani (feminine singular ħamranija, plural ħamranin)

ħamranija (feminine singular)
ħamranin (plural)


illuż

illuż (feminine singular illuża, plural illużi)

illuża (feminine singular)
illużi (plural)


borqmi

borqmi (feminine singular borqmija, plural borqmin)

borqmija (feminine singular)
borqmin (plural)


kħajjel

kħajjel (feminine singular kħajla, plural kħajliet)

kħajla (feminine singular)
kħajliet (plural)


kħajli

kħajli (feminine singular kħajlija, plural kħajlin)

kħajlija (feminine singular)
kħajlin (plural)


kaħli

kaħli (feminine singular kaħlija, plural kaħlin)

kaħlija (feminine singular)
kaħlin (plural)


rabti

rabti (feminine singular rabtija, plural rabtin)

rabtija (feminine singular)
rabtin (plural)


filosofiku

filosofiku (feminine singular filosofika, plural filosofiċi)

filosofika (feminine singular)
filosofiċi (plural)
filosofku (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian filosofico and/or Sicilian filusòficu, from Latin philosophicus, from Ancient Greek φιλοσοφικός (philosophikós).


qerqni

mt-adjective

qerqni (feminine singular qerqnija, plural qerqnin)

qerqnija (feminine singular)
qerqnin (plural)

Probably derived from Arabic قِرْق (qirq, “insignificant people”).


moqżież

mt-adjective

moqżież (feminine singular moqżieża, plural moqżiżin)

moqżieża (feminine singular)
moqżiżin (plural)


dagħmi

dagħmi (feminine singular dagħmija, plural dagħmin)

dagħmija (feminine singular)
dagħmin (plural)

From Arabic دَغْمِيّ (daḡmiyy), from Arabic دَغْم (daḡm).


taħtieni

taħtieni (feminine singular taħtenija, plural taħtenin)

taħtenija (feminine singular)
taħtenin (plural)

From Arabic تَحْتَانِيّ (taḥtāniyy). By surface analysis, taħt + -ieni.


ġewwieni

ġewwieni (feminine singular ġewwenija or ġewwinija, plural ġewwenin or ġewwinin)

ġewwenija (feminine singular)
ġewwinija (feminine singular)
ġewwenin (plural)
ġewwinin (plural)

/d͡ʒɛwˈwɪː.nɪ/

From Arabic جَوَّانِيّ (jawwāniyy). By surface analysis, ġewwa (“inside”) + -ieni.


pjan

mt-adjective

pjan (feminine singular pjana, plural pjani)

pjana (feminine singular)
pjani (plural)


qsusi

qsusi (feminine singular qsusija, plural qsusin)

qsusija (feminine singular)
qsusin (plural)


tablagħadd

Univerbation of ta’ bla għadd, literally “that without count”.


magħjun

mt-adjective

magħjun (feminine singular magħjuna, plural magħjunin)

magħjuna (feminine singular)
magħjunin (plural)


magħlul

magħlul (feminine singular magħlula, plural magħlulin)

magħlula (feminine singular)
magħlulin (plural)


magħkus

magħkus (feminine singular magħkusa, plural magħkusin)

magħkusa (feminine singular)
magħkusin (plural)


fqajjar

fqajjar (feminine singular fqajra, plural fqajrin)

fqajra (feminine singular)
fqajrin (plural)

diminutive of fqir: poor; expresses a certain degree of sympathy, but not used much differently from the simplex


bagħli

bagħli (feminine singular bagħlija, plural bagħlin)

bagħlija (feminine singular)
bagħlin (plural)


inventiv

inventiv (feminine singular inventiva, plural inventivi)

inventiva (feminine singular)
inventivi (plural)


votiv

mt-adj

votiv (feminine singular votiva, plural votivi)

votiva (feminine singular)
votivi (plural)


tardiv

mt-adjective

tardiv (feminine singular tardiva, plural tardivi)

tardiva (feminine singular)
tardivi (plural)

intellectually disabled
intellectually disabled

mentally retarded, intellectually disabled


triplu

triplu (feminine singular tripla, plural tripli)

tripla (feminine singular)
tripli (plural)


rmiedi

rmiedi (feminine singular rmidija, plural rmidin)

rmidija (feminine singular)
rmidin (plural)
irmiedi (alternative also)

From Arabic رَمَادِيّ (ramādiyy). By surface analysis, rmied + -i.

(dated or purist) grey; from light grey to ashy grey


għoqdi

għoqdi (feminine singular għoqdija, plural għoqdin)

għoqdija (feminine singular)
għoqdin (plural)

From Arabic عُقَدِيّ (ʕuqadiyy). By surface analysis, għoqod + -i.


lejli

lejli (feminine singular lejlija, plural lejlin)

lejlija (feminine singular)
lejlin (plural)

From Arabic لَيْلِيّ (layliyy). By surface analysis, lejl + -i.


qotni

qotni (feminine singular qotnija, plural qotnin)

qotnija (feminine singular)
qotnin (plural)

From Arabic قُطْنِيّ (quṭniyy). By surface analysis, qoton + -i.


rjal

rjal (feminine singular rjala, plural rjali)

rjala (feminine singular)
rjali (plural)
rjali (alternative)


bardan

bardan (feminine singular bardana, plural bardanin)

bardana (feminine singular)
bardanin (plural)


mdandan

mt-adj

mdandan (feminine singular mdandna, plural mdandnin)

mdandna (feminine singular)
mdandnin (plural)


dqiqi

mt-adjective

dqiqi (feminine singular dqiqija, plural dqiqin)

dqiqija (feminine singular)
dqiqin (plural)


bieżel

bieżel (feminine singular bieżla, plural biżlin or beżlin, comparative ibżel)

bieżla (feminine singular)
biżlin (plural)
beżlin (plural)
ibżel (comparative)

From Arabic بازِل (bāzil, “fully mature, in one's prime”, of a camel or man, also “difficult, distressing”, of a problem).


nemxi

mt-adjective

nemxi (feminine singular nemxija, plural nemxin)

nemxija (feminine singular)
nemxin (plural)


wikkieli

wikkieli (feminine singular wikkelija, plural wikkelin)

wikkelija (feminine singular)
wikkelin (plural)


wieqaf

wieqaf (feminine singular wieqfa, plural weqfin)

wieqfa (feminine singular)
weqfin (plural)


xaħmi

xaħmi (feminine singular xaħmija, plural xaħmin)

xaħmija (feminine singular)
xaħmin (plural)


xieref

xieref (feminine singular xierfa, plural xirfin)

xierfa (feminine singular)
xirfin (plural)


ħorr

mt-adj

ħorr (feminine singular ħorra, plural ħorrin)

ħorra (feminine singular)
ħorrin (plural)

From Arabic حُرّ (ḥurr, “free-born, noble”).

(archaic) honest, honorable, noble, pure, chaste


ħarr

ħarr (feminine singular ħarra, plural ħarrin)

ħarra (feminine singular)
ħarrin (plural)


qlubi

qlubi (feminine singular qlubija, plural qlubin)

qlubija (feminine singular)
qlubin (plural)


qluqi

qluqi (feminine singular qluqija, plural qluqin)

qluqija (feminine singular)
qluqin (plural)


xħiħ

xħiħ (feminine singular xħiħa, plural xħaħ, diminutive xħajjaħ, comparative ixħaħ or axaħħ)

xħiħa (feminine singular)
xħaħ (plural)
xħajjaħ (diminutive)
ixħaħ (comparative)
axaħħ (comparative)

inh

Arabic شَحِيح (šaḥīḥ)

stingy, avaricious, greedy (eager to possess)


waħħar

mt-adj

waħħar (feminine singular waħħara, plural waħħarin)

waħħara (feminine singular)
waħħarin (plural)


waħħari

waħħari (feminine singular waħħarija, plural waħħarin)

waħħarija (feminine singular)
waħħarin (plural)


qastni

mt-adjective

qastni (feminine singular qastnija, plural qastnin)

qastnija (feminine singular)
qastnin (plural)


beżżiegħ

mt-adj

beżżiegħ (feminine singular beżżiegħa, plural beżżiegħa or beżżigħin)

beżżiegħa (feminine singular)
beżżiegħa (plural)
beżżigħin (plural)


ferrieħ

ferrieħ (feminine singular ferrieħa, plural ferreħin)

ferrieħa (feminine singular)
ferreħin (plural)


ferrieħi

ferrieħi (feminine singular ferreħija, plural ferreħin)

ferreħija (feminine singular)
ferreħin (plural)

/fɛrˈrɪː.ħɪ/


daħħan

daħħan (feminine singular daħħana, plural daħħanin)

daħħana (feminine singular)
daħħanin (plural)


fustani

fustani (feminine singular fustanija, plural fustanija)

fustanija (feminine singular)
fustanija (plural)
wistani (alternative archaic)

From the older wistani, from Arabic وَسْطانِيّ (wasṭāniyy), altered after related fost (“among”), which see. By surface analysis, fost + -ani.


nofsi

nofsi (feminine singular nofsija, plural nofsija)

nofsija (feminine singular)
nofsija (plural)
nofsani (alternative)


nofsija

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


ħawli

mt-adj

ħawli (feminine singular ħawlija, plural ħawlin)

ħawlija (feminine singular)
ħawlin (plural)


lagħaqi

lagħaqi (feminine singular lagħaqija, plural lagħaqin)

lagħaqija (feminine singular)
lagħaqin (plural)

The underlying measure is CaCCâCi, the form being obscured by the fact that għ cannot be geminated. Hence the unusual spelling -agħa- in an open syllable. Compare lagħaba for another example.


samm

mt-adjective

samm (feminine singular samma, plural sammi, comparative (obsolete) asamm)

samma (feminine singular)
sammi (plural)
asamm (comparative obsolete)


ħarban

ħarban (feminine singular ħarbana, plural ħarbanin)

ħarbana (feminine singular)
ħarbanin (plural)


iswed borma

iswed borma (feminine singular sewda borma, plural suwed borma)

sewda borma (feminine singular)
suwed borma (plural)


abjad silġ

abjad silġ (feminine singular bajda silġ, plural bojod silġ)

bajda silġ (feminine singular)
bojod silġ (plural)


abjad qotna

abjad qotna (feminine singular bajda qotna, plural bojod qotna)

bajda qotna (feminine singular)
bojod qotna (plural)
abjad qoton (alternative)

abjad (“white”) + qotna (“a piece of cotton”)


aħdar bużbież

mt-adjective

aħdar bużbież (feminine singular ħadra bużbież, plural ħodor bużbież)

ħadra bużbież (feminine singular)
ħodor bużbież (plural)
aħdar busbies (alternative)


aħdar ħaxix

aħdar ħaxix (feminine singular ħadra ħaxix, plural ħodor ħaxix)

ħadra ħaxix (feminine singular)
ħodor ħaxix (plural)


aħmar nar

aħmar nar (feminine singular ħamra nar, plural ħomor nar)

ħamra nar (feminine singular)
ħomor nar (plural)


isfar lellux

isfar lellux (feminine singular safra lellux, plural sofor lellux)

safra lellux (feminine singular)
sofor lellux (plural)

isfar (“yellow”) + lellux (“garland chrysanthemum”)


ikħal nir

mt-adjective

ikħal nir (feminine singular kaħla nir, plural koħol nir)

kaħla nir (feminine singular)
koħol nir (plural)


ħelu manna

ħelu manna (feminine singular ħelwa manna, plural ħelwin manna)

ħelwa manna (feminine singular)
ħelwin manna (plural)


ħelu zokkor

ħelu zokkor (feminine singular ħelwa zokkor, plural ħelwin zokkor)

ħelwa zokkor (feminine singular)
ħelwin zokkor (plural)


morr tosku

morr tosku (feminine singular morra tosku, plural morri tosku or morra tosku)

morra tosku (feminine singular)
morri tosku (plural)
morra tosku (plural)


qares ħall

qares ħall (feminine singular qarsa ħall, plural qarsin ħall)

qarsa ħall (feminine singular)
qarsin ħall (plural)


wiesa' baħar

wiesa’ baħar (feminine singular wiesgħa baħar, plural wiesgħa baħar or wesgħin baħar or wisgħin baħar)

wiesa’ baħar (canonical)
wiesgħa baħar (feminine singular)
wiesgħa baħar (plural)
wesgħin baħar (plural)
wisgħin baħar (plural)


wiesa' ħorġ

wiesa’ ħorġ (feminine singular wiesgħa ħorġ, plural wiesgħa ħorġ or wesgħin ħorġ or wisgħin ħorġ)

wiesa’ ħorġ (canonical)
wiesgħa ħorġ (feminine singular)
wiesgħa ħorġ (plural)
wesgħin ħorġ (plural)
wisgħin ħorġ (plural)

/ˌwɪː.sa‿ˈħɔrt͡ʃ/


dejjaq katusa

dejjaq katusa (feminine singular dejqa katusa, plural dejqin katusa or dojoq katusa)

dejqa katusa (feminine singular)
dejqin katusa (plural)
dojoq katusa (plural)


iebes għuda

iebes għuda (feminine singular iebsa għuda, plural ibsin għuda or ebsin għuda)

iebsa għuda (feminine singular)
ibsin għuda (plural)
ebsin għuda (plural)

iebes (“hard/stiff/firm”) + għuda (“piece of hardwood”)


artab ħaxu

mt-adjective

artab ħaxu (feminine singular ratba ħaxu, plural rotob ħaxu)

ratba ħaxu (feminine singular)
rotob ħaxu (plural)

artab (“soft”) + ħaxu (“cheese filling”)


mxarrab għasra

mt-adjective

mxarrab għasra (feminine singular mxarrba għasra, plural mxarrba għasra or mxarrbin għasra)

mxarrba għasra (feminine singular)
mxarrba għasra (plural)
mxarrbin għasra (plural)


niexef qoxqox

niexef qoxqox (feminine singular niexfa qoxqox, plural niexfa qoxqox or nexfin qoxqox)

niexfa qoxqox (feminine singular)
niexfa qoxqox (plural)
nexfin qoxqox (plural)

/ˌnɪː.ʃɛf‿ˈʔɔʃ.ʔɔʃ/


iblah karnival

iblah karnival (feminine singular belha karnival, plural boloh karnival)

belha karnival (feminine singular)
boloh karnival (plural)

iblah (“stupid”) + karnival (“carnival”)


xiħ għakka

mt-adjective

xiħ għakka (feminine singular xiħa għakka, plural xjuħ għakka)

xiħa għakka (feminine singular)
xjuħ għakka (plural)

/ˌʃɪːˈħ‿aːk.ka/

/ˌʃɪːˈħ‿aˤːk.ka/


ħafif rix

ħafif rix (feminine singular ħafifa rix, plural ħfief rix)

ħafifa rix (feminine singular)
ħfief rix (plural)


tqil ċomb

tqil ċomb (feminine singular tqila ċomb, plural tqal ċomb)

tqila ċomb (feminine singular)
tqal ċomb (plural)

/ˌtʔiːl‿ˈt͡ʃɔmp/


nadif tazza

nadif tazza (feminine singular nadifa tazza, plural ndaf tazza or nodfa tazza)

nadifa tazza (feminine singular)
ndaf tazza (plural)
nodfa tazza (plural)


tari baqta

tari baqta (feminine singular tarja baqta, plural tarja baqta or torja baqta or tarjin baqta)

tarja baqta (feminine singular)
tarja baqta (plural)
torja baqta (plural)
tarjin baqta (plural)


mġiegħel

mt-adj

mġiegħel (feminine singular mġiegħla, plural mġiegħla or mġegħlin)

mġiegħla (feminine singular)
mġiegħla (plural)
mġegħlin (plural)
mġagħal (alternative)

/(ɪ)mˈd͡ʒɪː.əˤl/

Derived from the past participle of the verb ġiegħel.


mġagħal

mġagħal (feminine singular mġagħla, plural mġagħla or mġagħlin)

mġagħla (feminine singular)
mġagħla (plural)
mġagħlin (plural)

Derived from the past participle of the verb ġagħal.


mġebbel

mġebbel (feminine singular mġebbla, plural mġebblin)

mġebbla (feminine singular)
mġebblin (plural)


mfejjaq

mfejjaq (feminine singular mfejqa, plural mfejqin)

mfejqa (feminine singular)
mfejqin (plural)

Derived from the past participle of the verb fejjaq.


mewwiet

mewwiet (feminine singular mewwieta, plural mewwieta or mewwitin)

mewwieta (feminine singular)
mewwieta (plural)
mewwitin (plural)


mewwieti

mewwieti (feminine singular mewwitija, plural mewwitija or mewwitin)

mewwitija (feminine singular)
mewwitija (plural)
mewwitin (plural)


waħdenija

inh

وَحْدَانِيَّة


waħħieli

mt-adj

waħħieli (feminine singular waħħelija, plural waħħelin)

waħħelija (feminine singular)
waħħelin (plural)

/waħˈħɪː.lɪ/


xendi

xendi (feminine singular xendija, plural xendin)

xendija (feminine singular)
xendin (plural)


liberu

liberu (feminine singular libera, plural liberi)

libera (feminine singular)
liberi (plural)

Borrowed from Italian libero, from Latin liber.


faħxi

faħxi (feminine singular faħxija, plural faħxin)

faħxija (feminine singular)
faħxin (plural)

Dik hija gidba faħxija.

M’iniex se nirrepeti dak il-kliem faħxi li qalli.

I won’t repeat those obscene words he said to me.


botni

botni (feminine singular botnija, plural botnin)

botnija (feminine singular)
botnin (plural)


għasri

għasri (feminine singular għasrija, plural għasrin)

għasrija (feminine singular)
għasrin (plural)

From Arabic. Compare Moroccan Arabic عسري (ʕasri, “left-handed”).


xewki

mt-adj

xewki (feminine singular xewkija, plural xewkin)

xewkija (feminine singular)
xewkin (plural)

From Arabic شَوْكِيّ (šawkiyy). By surface analysis, xewk + -i.


sagrilegu

mt-adjective

sagrilegu (feminine singular sagrilega, plural sagrilegi)

sagrilega (feminine singular)
sagrilegi (plural)


rvelluż

mt-adj

rvelluż (feminine singular rvelluża, plural rvellużi)

rvelluża (feminine singular)
rvellużi (plural)


muqran

muqran (feminine singular muqrana, plural muqranin)

muqrana (feminine singular)
muqranin (plural)


midgħi

midgħi (feminine singular midgħija, plural midgħija)

midgħija (feminine singular)
midgħija (plural)


approssimattiv

approssimattiv (feminine singular approssimattiva, plural approssimattivi)

approssimattiva (feminine singular)
approssimattivi (plural)


prossimu

prossimu (feminine singular prossima, plural prossimi)

prossima (feminine singular)
prossimi (plural)


fiddien

fiddien (feminine singular fiddiena, plural fiddiena)

fiddiena (feminine singular)
fiddiena (plural)


fiddi

fiddi (feminine singular fiddija, plural fiddin)

fiddija (feminine singular)
fiddin (plural)


sogħbien

sogħbien (feminine singular sogħbiena, plural sogħbenin)

sogħbiena (feminine singular)
sogħbenin (plural)


terapewtiku

terapewtiku (feminine singular terapewtika, plural terapewtiċi)

terapewtika (feminine singular)
terapewtiċi (plural)


universitarju

universitarju (feminine singular universitarja, plural universitarji)

universitarja (feminine singular)
universitarji (plural)


miġwieħ

miġwieħ (feminine singular miġwieħa, plural miġwiħin)

miġwieħa (feminine singular)
miġwiħin (plural)

/mɪd͡ʒˈwɪːħ/


drammatiku

drammatiku (feminine singular drammatika, plural drammatiċi)

drammatika (feminine singular)
drammatiċi (plural)


Għebrew

Għebrew (feminine singular Għebrija, plural Għebrej)

Għebrija (feminine singular)
Għebrej (plural)
Ebrew (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian ebreo, from Latin hebraeus, from Ancient Greek Ἑβραῖος (Hebraîos), from Aramaic עִבְרַי (ʿiḇray), from Hebrew עִבְרִי (ʿiḇrī). The għ was added to the spelling etymologically after the Hebrew form.

der

Hebrew עִבְרִי (ʿiḇrī)


temporanju

mt-adj

temporanju (feminine singular temporanja, plural temporanji)

temporanja (feminine singular)
temporanji (plural)


tempestuż

tempestuż (feminine singular tempestuża, plural tempestużi)

tempestuża (feminine singular)
tempestużi (plural)


smajjar

smajjar (feminine singular smajra, plural smajrin)

smajra (feminine singular)
smajrin (plural)


samrani

samrani (feminine singular samranija, plural samranin)

samranija (feminine singular)
samranin (plural)


lokomottiv

lokomottiv (feminine singular lokomottiva, plural lokomottivi)

lokomottiva (feminine singular)
lokomottivi (plural)


żregulat

żregulat (feminine singular żregulata, plural żregulati)

żregulata (feminine singular)
żregulati (plural)


xkett

xkett (feminine singular xketta, plural xketti)

xketta (feminine singular)
xketti (plural)


muxgħar

muxgħar (feminine singular muxgħara, plural muxgħarin or muxgħara)

muxgħara (feminine singular)
muxgħarin (plural)
muxgħara (plural)

From a dialectal Arabic مِشْعار (mišʕār), مُشْعار (mušʕār).


ċirkonċiż

ċirkonċiż (feminine singular ċirkonċiża, plural ċirkonċiżi)

ċirkonċiża (feminine singular)
ċirkonċiżi (plural)

Borrowed from Italian circonciso, from Latin circumcisus, perfect passive participle of circumcidere.


nkejjuż

nkejjuż (feminine singular nkejjuża, plural nkejjużi)

nkejjuża (feminine singular)
nkejjużi (plural)
inkejjuż (alternative also)


razzist

razzist (feminine singular razzista, plural razzisti)

razzista (feminine singular)
razzisti (plural)
razzista (alternative)


anzjan

anzjan (feminine singular anzjana, plural anzjani)

anzjana (feminine singular)
anzjani (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian anzianu and/or Italian anziano, from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, derived from Latin ante.

(polite) old, elderly, senior (as in senior citizen)


glorjuż

glorjuż (feminine singular glorjuża, plural glorjużi)

glorjuża (feminine singular)
glorjużi (plural)

Borrowed from Italian glorioso. By surface analysis, glorja + -uż.


paċpaċi

paċpaċi (feminine singular paċpaċa, plural paċpaċa)

paċpaċa (feminine singular)
paċpaċa (plural)

From Arabic بَجْباج (bajbāj, “talking nonsense, garrulous, stupid”).


ħlejju

mt-adj

ħlejju (feminine singular ħlejja, plural ħlejja or ħlejjin)

ħlejja (feminine singular)
ħlejja (plural)
ħlejjin (plural)


mexxej

mt-adjective

mexxej (feminine singular mexxejja, plural mexxejja)

mexxejja (feminine singular)
mexxejja (plural)


tal-għaġeb

amazing, astonishing, surprising, extraordinary


mixhur

mt-adj

mixhur (feminine singular mixhura, plural mixhurin)

mixhura (feminine singular)
mixhurin (plural)


ragħwi

mt-adjective

ragħwi (feminine singular ragħwija, plural ragħwin)

ragħwija (feminine singular)
ragħwin (plural)

From Arabic رَغْوِيّ (raḡwiyy). By surface analysis, ragħwa + -i.


vjola

2021 [2017], Antoine Cassar, Erbgħin Jum, 2ⁿᵈ edition, Malta: Ede Books:


krimżi

Borrowed from Italian cremisi or Sicilian crèmisi, from Arabic قِرْمِز (qirmiz), from Persian کرمست (kermest).


ċatt

mt-adj

ċatt (feminine singular ċatta, plural ċatti)

ċatta (feminine singular)
ċatti (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian chiattu, from Vulgar Latin *plattus, from Ancient Greek πλατύς (platús). Doublet of platt and piazza.


dinji

mt-adjective

dinji (feminine singular dinjija, plural dinjin)

dinjija (feminine singular)
dinjin (plural)

Possibly inherited from Arabic دُنْيَوِيّ (dunyawiyy), which in Maltese would have been bound to undergo either contraction or stress shift. Otherwise independently derived from dinja + -i.


poetiku

poetiku (feminine singular poetika, plural poetiċi)

poetika (feminine singular)
poetiċi (plural)


għalieni

mt-adj

għalieni (feminine singular għalenija, plural għalenija or għalenin)

għalenija (feminine singular)
għalenija (plural)
għalenin (plural)

/aˤːˈlɪː.nɪ/

Perhaps from għal (“for”) + -ieni and thus originally “supporting, approving”.

harmonious, united, in concord and togetherness


sielem

mt-adjective

sielem (feminine singular sielma, plural silmin)

sielma (feminine singular)
silmin (plural)


Eġizzjan

Eġizzjan (feminine singular Eġizzjana, plural Eġizzjani)

Eġizzjana (feminine singular)
Eġizzjani (plural)

Egyptian (of, from or relating to Egypt)


msejken

msejken (feminine singular msejkna, plural msejknin)

msejkna (feminine singular)
msejknin (plural)


żniedi

żniedi (feminine singular żnidija, plural żnidija or żnidin)

żnidija (feminine singular)
żnidija (plural)
żnidin (plural)


żbubi

żbubi (feminine singular żbubija, plural żbubin)

żbubija (feminine singular)
żbubin (plural)


xitli

xitli (feminine singular xitlija, plural xitlin)

xitlija (feminine singular)
xitlin (plural)


xogħfan

xogħfan (feminine singular xogħfana, plural xogħfana)

xogħfana (feminine singular)
xogħfana (plural)
xogħfien (alternative)
xegħfien (alternative)


xogħfien

xogħfien (feminine singular xogħfiena, plural xogħfiena)

xogħfiena (feminine singular)
xogħfiena (plural)


xegħfien

xegħfien (feminine singular xegħfiena, plural xegħfiena)

xegħfiena (feminine singular)
xegħfiena (plural)


rebbiegħi

rebbiegħi (feminine singular rebbigħija, plural rebbigħin)

rebbigħija (feminine singular)
rebbigħin (plural)


wegħri

wegħri (feminine singular wegħrija, plural wegħrin)

wegħrija (feminine singular)
wegħrin (plural)


għażli

għażli (feminine singular għażlija, plural għażlin)

għażlija (feminine singular)
għażlin (plural)


agħnaq

agħnaq (feminine singular għanqa, plural għonoq)

għanqa (feminine singular)
għonoq (plural)


għosfri

għosfri (feminine singular għosfrija, plural għosfrin)

għosfrija (feminine singular)
għosfrin (plural)

From Arabic عُصْفُرِيّ (ʕuṣfuriyy). By surface analysis, għosfor + -i.