xogħlijiet

xogħolijiet (alternative common misspelling)

/ʃɔ.lɪˈjɪːt/

/ʃɔˤː.lɪˈjɪːt/

/ʃɔɣ.lɪˈjɪːt/


dawl

mt-noun

dawl m (plural dwal, diminutive dwajjel)

From Arabic ضَوْء (ḍawʔ) with a paragogic -l, perhaps from a following article by resegmentation, and/or under influence of the antonym dell (“shade”).

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!

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:


Ras ir-Randan

ras + ir-Randan, literally “beginning of Lent”.


qaddis

mt-noun

qaddis m (plural qaddisin, feminine qaddisa, diminutive qdejdes)

qaddisin (plural)
qaddisa (feminine)
qdejdes (diminutive)

(Christianity) saint (male or of unspecified sex)


kampnar

Il-qanpiena ħarġet tħabbar
mill-kampnar: Sar ħin it-talb;
ejjew nies, il-kelma t’Alla
sa niżirgħu, ħejju l-qalb!”

1966, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Qanpiena”, in Ejjew Nidħku Ftit Ieħor:


magħmudija

inh

مَعْمُودِيّة


qabar

mt-noun

qabar m (plural oqbra or qobra or qbura or qbur, diminutive qbajjar)

oqbra (plural)
qobra (plural)
qbura (plural)
qbur (plural)
qbajjar (diminutive)
qabri (first-person singular)
qabarna (first-person singular)
qabrek (second-person singular)
qabarkom (second-person singular)
qabru (masculine singular third-person)
qabarha (feminine singular third-person)
qabarhom (singular third-person)

Żorna ċ-ċimiterju u poġġejna fjuri fuq il-qabar ta’ ommna.

We visited the cemetery and put flowers on our mother’s grave.

“Jien qiegħed ngħix magħkom, ta’ barrani u frustier. Agħtuni li jkolli qabar magħkom, u nidfen il-mejta tiegħi minn quddiemi.”

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 23:4:

New International Version translation: “I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”

“Ismagħna, sidi, int prinċep minn Alla fostna. Fl-aħjar tal-oqbra tagħna idfen il-mejta tiegħek. Ħadd minna ma hu se jiċħadlek li tidfen il-mejta tiegħek f’qabru.”

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 23:6:

New International Version translation: “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

[…], ħa jagħtini l-għar tiegħu fl-għalqa tiegħu ta’ Makfela. Jagħtihieli b’kemm tiswa flus hawn quddiemkom, biex tkun tiegħi u nagħmel qabar.”

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 23:9:

New International Version translation: […] so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”


ljun

Borrowed from Sicilian liuni, from Latin leō, from Ancient Greek λέων (léōn).


dorbies

dorbies m (plural driebes, feminine dorbiesa, diminutive drejbes)

driebes (plural)
dorbiesa (feminine)
drejbes (diminutive)
dirbies (alternative)
durbies (alternative)
dirwies (alternative)


arkitett

Borrowed from Italian architetto, from Latin architectus, from Ancient Greek ἀρχιτέκτων (arkhitéktōn).


bidla

Singulative derivation from Arabic بَدْل (badl, “changing, exchange”).


professur

mt-noun

professur m (plural professuri, feminine professoressa)

professuri (plural)
professoressa (feminine)

Borrowed from Italian professore, from Latin professor.


ġummar

ġummara (singulative)
ġummariet (paucal)


saff

saff m (dual saffejn, plural saffi or saffijiet or sfuf or safef)

saffejn (dual)
saffi (plural)
saffijiet (plural)
sfuf (plural)
safef (plural)

raġel b’saffejn

ħajt b’saffejn

saff snien


favetta

favetta (singulative)
favettiet (paucal)

Phaseolus vulgaris
Phaseolus vulgaris#Translingual

bush bean, dwarf bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Lathyrus sativus
Lathyrus sativus#Translingual


prezz

Borrowed from Italian prezzo and/or Sicilian prezzu.

prezz nett

prezz bl-imnut

prezz bl-ingrossa

prezz tad-dħul


marsa

marsa f (plural mrasi or mrajjas or mrajjes)

mrasi (plural)
mrajjas (plural)
mrajjes (plural)

(archaic, chiefly in place names) harbour


xellug

Uncertain. Seemingly from Maghrebi Arabic شَلُوق (šalūq, “southeastern wind, scirocco”), whence also—perhaps through Romance influence—Maltese xlokk (“scirocco”). The Arabic word itself is said to be of Berber origin and this may explain the final -g (as there does not appear to be any case of Arabic q becoming g in Maltese). The sense “left” then from “east” as the left side when facing the sun at noon. Here the question poses itself whether there is any relation between شَلُوق (šalūq) and native Arabic شَرْق (šarq, “east”). Furthermore it must be noted that Arabic has شِمال (šimāl, “left”) from شَمال (šamāl, “north”), thus based on the position at sunrise rather than noon.


biċċa

mt-noun

biċċa f (dual biċċtejn, plural bċejjeċ or biċċiet or bċieċ, diminutive bċejċa)

biċċtejn (dual)
bċejjeċ (plural)
biċċiet (plural)
bċieċ (plural)
bċejċa (diminutive)

Ultimately from Late Latin pettia, probably from Sicilian pezza or a variant of it.

(chess) piece (chess: figure other than pawn; similar counter in other games)


qilla

Probably from Arabic غِلّ (ḡill). Merger of غ [ɣ~ʁ] and ق [q] occurs regularly in some dialects of the Arabian penninsula and sometimes also in Sudan. While Maltese is generally not affected by this development, it was assisted here by the fact that the root ق ل ل (q l l) has some related senses. In particular, the meaning “to be seized by anger” is attested for أُقِلَّ (ʔuqilla), passive of أَقَلَّ (ʔaqalla).


sandla

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:


lifgħa

From Arabic أَفْعَى (ʔafʕā, “viper”) with fused definite article.


rmied

Jekk id-demm tal-mogħoż u tal-gniedes u l-irmied tal-għoġla mraxxax fuq dawk li huma mniġġsa jista’ jqaddishom billi jagħtihom l-indafa tal-ġisem

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, L-Ittra lil-Lhud 9:13:

King James Version translation: For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh


nhar

daytime, day (time between dawn and nightfall)


rkoppa

rkoppa f (dual rkupptejn or rkopptejn, plural rkupptejn or rkopptejn or rkopop)

rkupptejn (dual)
rkopptejn (dual)
rkupptejn (plural)
rkopptejn (plural)
rkopop (plural)
rkoppti (first-person singular)
rkoppitna (first-person singular)
rkopptek (second-person singular)
rkoppitkom (second-person singular)
rkopptu (masculine singular third-person)
rkoppitha (feminine singular third-person)
rkoppithom (singular third-person)
rkobba (alternative archaic)
rkippa (alternative)

From Arabic رُكْبَة (rukba). The modern Maltese form with metathesis, gemination and devoicing is a backformation from the plural (or original dual). From the expected *rokba, it would yield *rukbtejn, where the triple consonant cluster was simplified to *rkubtejn. Compare the same in mnifsejn (instead of *minfsejn), plural of minfes (“nostril”).

It-tubu tal-irkoppa għandu żewġ toqob li jillimitaw il-moviment tar-riġel.

The knee tube has two lugs which limit the movement of the lower leg.


flien

flien m (plural flejjen, feminine fliena)

(usually in the definite) so-and-so, that bloke; a placeholder for a person whose name one cannot or does not want to mention, as in the phrase; "wieħed flien".


pitarra

pitarri (plural)
pittarra (alternative)
ptarra (alternative)

Tetrax tetrax
Tetrax tetrax#Translingual


għesieleġ

/ɛˈsɪː.lɛt͡ʃ/

/ɛˤːˈsɪː.lɛt͡ʃ/


natka

natki (plural)
natika (alternative)
nakta (alternative)


ħatar

ħatar m (plural ħtar or oħtra or ħtur or ħtura, diminutive ħtajjar or ħtajtar)

ħtar (plural)
oħtra (plural)
ħtur (plural)
ħtura (plural)
ħtajjar (diminutive)
ħtajtar (diminutive)

From Arabic. At least two roots are comparable and the Maltese is perhaps from a merger of them: 1.) حَظِر (ḥaẓir, “picket, cane for a fence”), حِظار (ḥiẓār, “fence, enclosure”); 2.) خِطْر (ḵiṭr, “branch of a tree”), خَطّار (ḵaṭṭār, “camel’s tail, pendulum, quivering spear”). If the original meaning was “club, cudgel”, then حَدَرَ (ḥadara, “to be thick, swollen”) may also be relevant.

U l-Mulej qal lil Mosè: “Midd idek, u aqbdu minn denbu” - u medd idu u qabdu, u sar ħatar f’idu.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Eżodu 4:4:

King James Version translation: And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand.


denb

dnub (plural)
denbi (first-person singular)
denbna (first-person singular)
denbek (second-person singular)
denbkom (second-person singular)
denbu (masculine singular third-person)
denbha (feminine singular third-person)
denbhom (singular third-person)
demb (alternative nonstandard pronunciation-spelling)

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?

U l-Mulej qal lil Mosè: Midd idek, u aqbdu minn denbu - u medd idu u qabdu, u sar ħatar f’idu.

New International Version translation: Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.

(figurative) something added at the end, e.g. a grammatical ending, suffix


fomm

fomm m (plural fmien or fommijiet or fmum)

fmien (plural)
fommijiet (plural)
fmum (plural)
fommi (first-person singular)
fommna (first-person singular)
fommok (second-person singular)
fommkom (second-person singular)
fommu (masculine singular third-person)
fommha (feminine singular third-person)
fommhom (singular third-person)

From Arabic فَم (fam). Cognate with Moroccan Arabic فم (fumm).


tutur

tutur m (plural tuturi, feminine tutriċi)


ittra

ittri (plural)
littra (alternative archaic)

Borrowed from Sicilian littra, from Latin littera. The initial l- was interpreted as the definite article (Maltese l- and/or Sicilian l’) and hence deleted. Compare the opposite development in ilma, lemin, etc.

ittra majjuskla; ittra kbira; ittra kapitali ― capital letter

L-ittra Y ma tintużax fil-Malti.

kaxxa tal-ittra ― letterbox

Ktibtilha ittra, imma ma weġbitx għaliha.

I wrote her a letter, but she didn’t answer it.

(Christianity) epistle (one of the books of the New Testament which was originally a letter issued by an apostle)


unjoni ċivili

unjoni ċivili f (plural unjonijiet ċivili)

Internationalism; compare English civil union, Italian unione civile.


ċivilizzazzjoni

ċivilizzazzjoni f (plural ċivilizzazzjonijiet)


orjentazzjonijiet sesswali

orjentazzjoni sesswali
orjentazzjoni sesswali#Maltese


xibt

From Arabic شِبِت, (šibit, also read as šibitt, šabat, “dill”).


ħanek

ħanek m (plural ħniek or eħinka, diminutive ħanka)

ħniek (plural)
eħinka (plural)
ħanka (diminutive)


għaqal

From Arabic عَقْل (ʕaql, “mind, intellect, reason”).


qorriegħa

qorrigħat (plural)
qarriegħa (alternative)
qorgħan (alternative)

/ʔɔrˈrɪː.aˤ/


mgħażqa

mgħażqiet (plural)
mgħażaq (plural)
imgħażqa (alternative)


paċi

Borrowed from Sicilian paci, from Latin pax.


qanpiena

mt-noun

qanpiena f (plural qniepen, diminutive qnejpna)

qniepen (plural)
qnejpna (diminutive)
qanpiela (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian campana, from Late Latin campāna.

Il-qniepen bdew isejħu lill-fidili għall-quddiesa.

The bells were summoning the believers to mass.

Illum ukoll f’nofsinhar ħin tal-Ingilterra, il-qniepen idoqqu biex isellmu lir-Reġina, f’Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, u Windsor Castle.

2022 September 9, “Il-luttu għar-Reġina Eliżabetta II se jibqa’ sa sebat ijiem wara l-funeral”, in TVMnews.mt, archived from the original on 2025-02-20:

Moreover today at noon British time, the bells will toll to salute the Queen, at Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, and Windsor Castle.


xebh

From Arabic شَبَه (šabah, “similarity”), perhaps merged with شِبْه (šibh, “something similar”).


xebħ

(common, but officially nonstandard) Alternative spelling of xebh


togħma

From Arabic طَعْم (ṭaʕm, “taste”). Perhaps influenced formally by طُعْمة (ṭuʕma, “foodstuff, bite”), but an irregular development -agħ- → -ogħ- also occurs in some other Maltese words.


dgħufija

dgħufiti (first-person singular)
dgħufitna (first-person singular)
dgħufitek (second-person singular)
dgħufitkom (second-person singular)
dgħufitu (masculine singular third-person)
dgħufitha (feminine singular third-person)
dgħufithom (singular third-person)
dgħjufija (alternative proscribed)


dgħjufija

(proscribed) Alternative form of dgħufija


għalqa

għalqa f (plural għelieqi, diminutive għalajqa)

From the Arabic root غ ل ق (ḡ l q). The sense “enclosure, fenced or immured area” was still attested in older Maltese. The phonetic similarity with Arabic حَقْل (ḥaql) is coincidental.

ar-root

غ ل ق (ḡ l q)


mgħallem

mgħallmin (plural)
imgħallem (alternative)

From Arabic مُعَلِّم (muʕallim) and مُعَلَّم (muʕallam), participles of عَلَّمَ (ʕallama, “to teach”), whence Maltese għallem.

leader or teacher of a group (e.g. biblically of Jesus, in the sense of rabbi)


għama

From Arabic عَمًى (ʕaman, “blindness”). Originally a masculine, but feminine in Maltese due to the final -a and hence distinguishable from the adjective (etymology 3 below).


xewqa

Singulative derivation from Arabic شَوْق (šawq, “longing”), thus originally “a single instance or object of longing”.

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:


żahar

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,

(dated, except in expressions) several flowers, blossoms (reproductive structures on some plants)


mħatra

mt-noun

mħatra f (plural mħatri, paucal mħatriet)

mħatri (plural)
mħatriet (paucal)
imħatra (alternative also)

From Arabic مُخَاطَرَة (muḵāṭara, “risk, hazard, adventure”)


mħabba

mħabbti (first-person singular)
mħabbitna (first-person singular)
mħabbtek (second-person singular)
mħabbitkom (second-person singular)
mħabbtu (masculine singular third-person)
mħabbitha (feminine singular third-person)
mħabbithom (singular third-person)
imħabba (alternative also)

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.

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

X’sejra ġġibilna ġewwa l-fardal tiegħek.
ja Sena Ġdida?
Ah! biegħed minna
il-għelt, il-ġlied,
id-demm bejn l-aħwa;
rażżan ir-regħba u l-ġibdiet tal-ħakma,
rattab l-irjus u l-qlub,
ġibilna s-sabar ta’ xulxin, l-imħabba,
ġibilna l-għaqda,
ġibilna s-sliem,
ġibilna l-ħelsien!

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


ħatt

From Arabic حَطَّ (ḥaṭṭa, “to put down”).


mislem

mt-noun

mislem m (plural misilmin, feminine misilma)

From Arabic مُسْلِم (muslim, in dialects widely mislim). The word was inherited from Arabic as referring to a group of people with whom the Maltese remained in contact, while islam is a learned borrowing from Italian. Similarly, in other European languages, words for “Muslim” (like English Mussulman) are generally much older than the words for the religion. For the phonotactics of the plural misilmin, compare midneb.

inh

Arabic مُسْلِم


irkupptejn

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of rkupptejn


ltim

mt-noun

ltim m (plural ltiema or lotom, feminine ltima, diminutive ltejjem)

ltiema (plural)
lotom (plural)
ltima (feminine)
ltejjem (diminutive)
iltim (alternative also)

From Arabic يَتِيم (yatīm) with the initial semivowel replaced with l under influence of the article, as also in Lhudi and illum.


fergħun

fergħun m (plural friegħen, diminutive frejgħen)

From Arabic فِرْعَوْن (firʕawn, “pharaoh”). The tyranny of the pharaohs, especially with regard to Moses, is very much stressed in the Quran and has become proverbial in Arabic. Doublet of fargħun.

Fil-folklor tagħna x-xitan għandu diversi appellattivi jew karatteristiċi (A.F. Attard 2002): […] il-fergħun, […]

2014, Marlene Mifsud Chircop, “Ix-xitan fil-folklor Malti”, in L-Imnara: Folklor minn Malta, volume 10, number 3, BDL Publishing, →ISSN, page 31:

In our folklore, the devil has many names and characteristics (A.F. Attard 2002): […] the devil, […]


ruħ

ruħ f (plural erwieħ or rwieħ, diminutive rwejħa)

erwieħ (plural)
rwieħ (plural)
rwejħa (diminutive)

From Arabic رُوح (rūḥ). The expected plural is rwieħ with a post-consonantal variant irwieħ. The form erwieħ shows development of ir to er, as frequently in verbs, but otherwise not with epenthetic sounds. This unusual e- is therefore not felt as epenthetic anymore.


irwieħ

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of rwieħ


feddej

(chiefly Christianity) agent noun of feda: redeemer, saviour


qatgħa

From Arabic قِطْعة (qiṭʕa, “cut; piece; portion”).

inh

a cut; an instance of cutting; the resulting slit


qatgħa

mt-noun

qatgħa f (plural qatgħat or qtajja’ or qtiegħi)

qatgħat (plural)
qtajja’ (plural)
qtiegħi (plural)


fergħa

fergħa f (dual feragħtejn, plural friegħi, paucal fergħat)

feragħtejn (dual)
friegħi (plural)
fergħat (paucal)
fergħ (alternative dated)

Extension of fergħ, from Arabic فَرْع (farʕ). The original form has become rare as it is homophonous with ferħ (“joy” and “young animal”).


għazz

This spelling is preferred by some to distinguish it from għads (“diving”). It appears unclear which spelling is currently the prescribed standard, but both are common.

Alternative spelling of għads (“lentil”)


mibegħda

Either inherited from rare Arabic مَبْغَضة (mabḡaḍa, “an object or cause of hatred”) or otherwise an independent formation from bagħad with the same measure. The underlying form is *mibgħda, where -e- was inserted to break up the inadmissible consonant cluster.


ġimgħat

/d͡ʒɪˈmaˤːt/


għollieq

għollieqa (singulative)
għolliqat (paucal)
għolliqiet (paucal)

From Arabic عُلَّيْق (ʕullayq). Accordingly the more etymological spelling would seem to be (nonstandard) għolliq. The vowel phonemes /iː/ and /ɪː/ are merged before [ħ] and [ʔ].


ulied

uliedi (first-person singular)
uliedna (first-person singular)
uliedek (second-person singular)
uliedkom (second-person singular)
uliedu (masculine singular third-person)
uliedha (feminine singular third-person)
uliedhom (singular third-person)
wlied (alternative)

From Arabic أَوْلاد (ʔawlād), plural of وَلَد (walad), whence Maltese wild (“progeny”), of which ulied does not anymore function as a plural, however.

one's children; offspring
plural of iben (“son”)

one's children; offspring
plural of bint (“daughter”)


biża'

biża’ (canonical feminine masculine)
biżgħa (alternative)

From Arabic فَزَع (fazaʕ) with irregular development of the onset (probably at first in the verb beża’, which see). Originally and still frequently masculine, but also feminine after the final [a]-sound.

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


biżgħat

plural of biżgħa (a rare variant spelling of the above)


biżgħa

(rare, possibly nonstandard) alternative spelling of biża’ (sometimes used when treated as feminine)


wiżna

mt-noun

wiżna f (dual wiżintejn, plural użieni, paucal wiżniet)

wiżintejn (dual)
użieni (plural)
wiżniet (paucal)

a traditional unit of weight, still used e.g. in farming and household contexts, equivalent to 5 ratal, that is officially 8.75 imperial pounds (3.969 kg), now widely metrified informally to mean 4 kilogrammes


ratal

From Arabic رَطْل (raṭl), from Classical Syriac ܪܝܛܠܐ (rīṭlā), metathesis of ܠܝܛܪܐ (līṭrā), from Ancient Greek λῑ́τρᾱ (lī́trā).

a traditional unit of weight, still used e.g. in household contexts, officially 1.75 imperial pounds (0.794 kg), now widely metrified informally to mean 800 grammes


uqija

uqija f (dual uqitejn, plural ewwieq or ewieq or wieq, paucal uqijiet or uqiet)

uqitejn (dual)
ewwieq (plural)
ewieq (plural)
wieq (plural)
uqijiet (paucal)
uqiet (paucal)

From Arabic أُوقِيَّة (ʔūqiyya), from Classical Syriac ܐܘܢܩܝܐ (ʾūnqīyā), from Ancient Greek οὐγγία (oungía), from Latin ūncia.

a traditional unit of weight, still used e.g. in household contexts, equivalent to ¹⁄₃₀ of a ratal, that is officially 0.933 imperial ounces (26.46 g), now sometimes metrified informally to mean 30 grammes (which would be ³⁄₈₀ of a metrical ratal)


irtal

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of rtal


għamieq

Probably from Arabic أَعْماق (ʔaʕmāq, “depths”), plural of عُمْق (ʕumq). Alternatively from the nominalised adjective عَمِيق (ʕamīq, “deep”), or from a blend of them. The forms would have merged phonetically in Maltese. Compare għammieq.

(literary) depth (that which is deep below; the deepest part)


ragħaj

ragħaj m (plural ragħajja, feminine ragħajja)

Agent noun of ragħa (“to graze”). Arabic uses the active participle راعٍ (rāʕin) instead.


tuffiħat

paucal of tuffieħa: 2 to 10 apples; a small number of individual apples


sengħa

sengħa f (plural snajja’ or (rare) sengħat, diminutive snejgħa)

snajja’ (plural)
sengħat (plural rare)
snejgħa (diminutive)

From Arabic صَنْعة (ṣanʕa). The expected form would be *sangħa due to the originally emphatic ṣ, but this influence was levelled out or lost by dissimilation against the final għ (compare sejħa).


għelieqi

/ɛˤːˈlɪː.ʔɪ/


weraq

werqa (singulative)
werqtejn (dual)
werqat (paucal)
werqiet (paucal)

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:


kliem

Matul it-triq kliemna kien tista’ tgħid bla sugu; tkellimna sempliċiment biex inkunu għedna xi ħaġa.

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


kelmiet

paucal of kelma: 2 to 10 words; a few individual units of speech


kelmtejn

dual of kelma: a couple of words; a short talk or introduction


xbieha

Either derived directly from Arabic شَبِيه (šabīh, “similar”), or more probably with the measure of an abstract noun شَباهة (šabāha, “likeness, similarity”), which is uncommon in Arabic itself, but could easily be formed by analogy with such pairs as نَظِيف (naẓīf) ↔ نَظافة (naẓāfa).


għarib

għarib m (plural għorba, feminine għariba)

L-għarib ġie joqgħod ħdejna.


qassata

qassata f (plural qsaset, paucal qassatat, diminutive qsajsta or qsajta)

qsaset (plural)
qassatat (paucal)
qsajsta (diminutive)
qsajta (diminutive)

Borrowed from Sicilian cassata, originally probably “made with cheese”, from Vulgar Latin cāseāta, from Latin cāseus. Regarding the initial q- and the plural in -at probably a rather early borrowing.

A savoury pastry or dumpling, typically filled with ricotta cheese.


milgħaqa

From Arabic مِلْعَقة (milʕaqa, “spoon”, literally “licking tool”).
A more etymological spelling would be milagħqa, because the underlying form is *milgħqa, where -a- was inserted to break up the inadmissible consonant cluster (as similarly in mibegħda). The spelling milgħaqa implies an Arabic *مِلْعاقة (*milʕāqa). However, Maltese does not apply the etymological principle slavishly.


milgħaqiet

/mɪ.laˤːˈʔɪːt/


kuċċarina

From a diminutive of Sicilian cucciara, cucchiara, from Latin cochlearium, ultimately from Ancient Greek κοχλῐ́ᾱς (kokhlĭ́ās, “snail”).


blata

singulative of blat: a rock, piece of rock


nagħniegħ

From Arabic نَعْناع (naʕnāʕ), from Hurrian.


setgħa

Verbal noun of seta’ (“can, be able”), itself from a reanalysis of Arabic اِسْتَطاعَ (istaṭāʕa). Semantically without doubt after Italian potere (“can, be able”, and as a noun “power, might, authority”), or rather its Sicilian equivalent putiri. Compare also Italian potenza, from Latin potentia. All eventually from posse (“can, be able”).

Arabic اِسْتَطاعَ (istaṭāʕa)

Ġesù resaq ikellimhom u qalilhom: “Lili ngħatat kull setgħa fis-sema u fl-art. […]

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 28:18:

New International Version translation: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. […]

U l-Mulej qal lil Mosè: “Meta int tmur lura l-Eġittu, qis li tagħmel quddiem il-Fargħun il-mirakli li jien tajtek is-setgħa li tagħmel; iżda jien inwebbislu qalbu, u ma jħallix il-poplu jitlaq.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Eżodu 4:21:

New International Version translation: The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.


għira

From Arabic غَيْرة (ḡayra, “jealousy, jealous zeal”), widely also pronounced غِيرة (ḡīra) in dialects, which is the underlying form in Maltese (the modern diphthong being due to the influence of the għ).


milsa

From Italian milza or perhaps a Sicilian equivalent, from Lombardic Old High German milzi, from Proto-Germanic *miltiją.


sagħtar

sagħtra (singulative)
sagħtriet (paucal)

From Arabic صَعْتَر (ṣaʕtar), variant of زَعْتَر (zaʕtar, “thyme”).

…U kemm ilwien ta’ ward ! xi ġmiel ! x’ħuġġieġa !
ġjaċinti, vjoli, qronfol, residan,
ħommejr, sagħtar, narċis, u ward il-hena

1936, R. M. B., “Għal kull ma ħlaqtilna iċ-ċaħda trid minn’na”, in Lehen il-Malti, numbers 61-62, lines 7–9:


għaqda

Singulative derivation from Arabic عَقْد (ʕaqd, “tying, binding, contracting”).

union (institution or commitment by which two or more persons become united, e.g. marriage)

society, alliance, league, club (body of members formally organised for some purpose)


denfil

From a dialectal variant of Arabic دَرْفِيل (darfīl), دُلْفِين (dulfīn), which also underlies in Moroccan Arabic دنفيل (danfīl). Ultimately from Ancient Greek δελφίς (delphís).


regħba

From Arabic رَغْبَة (raḡba, “wish, desire”).

ragħba (alternative obsolete)
rogħba (alternative obsolete)

greed, avarice, stinginess (desire to possess)


ġebel

From Arabic جَبَل (jabal, “mountain, rock”).

U Ġakobb waqqaf plier fejn kien kellmu, plier tal-ġebel; u raxxax l-inbid fuqu u sawwab iż-żejt.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 35:14:

King James Version translation: And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.


ġebel

(now chiefly in placenames or in the plural) a mountain


ġebliet

/d͡ʒɛbˈlɪːt/

paucal of ġebla: 2 to 10 stones; a small number of individual stones


ħaġriet

/ħad͡ʒˈrɪːt/

paucal of ħaġar: 2 to 10 stones; a small number of individual stones


Fariżew

Borrowed from Italian fariseo, from Latin Pharisaeus, from Ancient Greek Φαρισαῖος (Pharisaîos), from Aramaic פְּרִישַׁיָּא (pərīšayyāʾ).

der

פְּרִישַׁיָּא

Aramaic פְּרִישַׁיָּא (pərīšayyāʾ)


bewsiet

paucal of bewsa: 2 to 10 kisses; a small number of individual kisses


nofs

mt-noun

nofs m (plural nofsijiet or (only in sense 3) nfas)

From Arabic نُصْف (nuṣf) with metathesis.

Tweġibiet għal dawn il-mistoqsijiet imorru lura għal madwar seklu u nofs (jew aktar) qabel ma seħħew dawn il-ħruxijiet.

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

half (one of two parts, especially when equal)

middle (area where two equal halves meet)

(historical units of measurement) a unit of volume:

for spirits, equivalent to 2 terz, that is officially one imperial pint (568.3 mL).

for milk and oil, equivalent to 2 terz, that is officially 22+¹⁄₂ imperial fluid ounces (639.3 mL).


xagħriet

paucal of xagħar: 2 to 10 hairs; a small number of individual hairs


demagħtejn

dual of demgħa: one or two tears; a few tears


nejba

Back-formation from Arabic أَنْيَاب (ʔanyāb), plural of نَاب (nāb), compare Tunisian Arabic نيبة


darsa

From Arabic ضِرْس (ḍirs), though properly perhaps a backformation from the plural, as also in nejba (“canine”). Compare Tunisian Arabic زرسة (zarsa), Moroccan Arabic ضرسة (ḍarsa).


qala'

qala’ (canonical masculine)
qlugħ (plural)

Alternative form: qlugħ

qala’ tal-istrall tal-arblu tal-parrukkett

qala’ t’isfel tal-pappafik tal-majjistra


ħares

ħares m (plural iħirsa or ħorsien or ħarsijiet, feminine ħarsa)

iħirsa (plural)
ħorsien (plural)
ħarsijiet (plural)
ħarsa (feminine)

In the present form it should be from Arabic حارِس (ḥāris, “guard, guardian”), active participle of حَرَسَ (ḥarasa) above; quite plausibly through the idea that ghosts watch over, or haunt, certain localities. The unusual plural iħirsa (from underlying *iħrsa as in iġsma) might then be explained as continuing Arabic حَرَسة (ḥarasa). However, it is worth noting that Castagna in his history of Malta says that the peasants, even in his day, believed the ħares to be a black snake that controlled the destiny of a house’s inhabitants and therefore must never be killed. This leaves the possibility that the eventual etymon may in fact be Arabic خَرْساء (ḵarsāʔ, “viper”, literally “deaf one”).


unur

Borrowed from Sicilian unuri, from Latin honor.


rqad

From Arabic رُقاد (ruqād), verbal noun of رَقَدَ (raqada).


wegħda

mt-noun

wegħda f (plural wgħedi, paucal wegħdiet)


ġenna

From Arabic جَنّة (janna, “garden; paradise”), from whose plural also ġnien (“garden”).

inh

(also religion) paradise (idealistic abode in this world, e.g. that of Adam and Eve)

(religion) heaven; paradise (otherworldly abode of the righteous or justified)


Għid

Ellipsis of l-Għid il-Kbir (literally “the great feast”). Compare Arabic الْعِيدُ الْكَبِير (al-ʕīdu l-kabīr) used by Arabic-speaking Christians.

cog

الْعِيدُ الْكَبِير

(Christianity) Easter (feast celebrating the resurrection of Christ)


għid

mt-noun

għid m (plural għejjied or għidien or għajjieda or għejjud or għejud or għejieda)

għejjied (plural)
għidien (plural)
għajjieda (plural)
għejjud (plural)
għejud (plural)
għejieda (plural)

From Arabic عِيد (ʕīd, “feast, festival”).


ġieħ

From Arabic جَاه (jāh). Compare Moroccan Arabic جاه (jāh).


ħobża

ħbiżtejn (dual)
ħobżiet (paucal)
ħbejża (diminutive)


ħobżiet

paucal of ħobża: 2 to 10 loaves of bread; a small number of individual loaves


ħbiżtejn

dual of ħobża and ħbejża: two loaves of bread


logħbiet

paucal of logħba: 2 to 10 games; a small number of individual games or instances of playing


sibt

Alternative spelling of Sibt (“Saturday”)


nisel lifgħat

From nisel + lifgħat, a calque of Ancient Greek γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν (gennḗmata ekhidnôn).

calque

γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν

Ja sriep u nisel il-lifgħat, kif se taħarbu mill-kundanna ta’ l-infern?

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 23:33:

King James Version translation: Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

generation of vipers
generation of vipers

John the Baptist
John the Baptist#English

(biblical) brood of vipers; generation of vipers; address used by Jesus for the Pharisees and Sadducees (three times in Matthew), and by John the Baptist for the unregerate Jews (Luke 3:7)


musbieħ

msiebaħ (plural)
mosbieħ (alternative obsolete)


imsiebaħ

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of msiebaħ


sehem

mt-noun

sehem m (plural ishma, diminutive shejjem)

share, portion (part someone has or receives, or that is due them)


lħit

From the construct form of Arabic لِحْيَة (liḥya, “beard”). Doublet of leħja (“beard”), which becomes leħit-, lħit- before personal suffixes. The new noun lħit thence by backformation.


sħabiet

paucal of sħab: 2 to 10 clouds; a small number of individual clouds


xniegħa

From Arabic شَنَاعَة (šanāʕa, “repulsiveness, abomination”), probably referring to the scandalous subject matter, but perhaps also because gossip is itself repulsive.


bugħarwien

From bu (“father”) + għarwien (“naked”), thus “father of naked”, meaning “the one who’s always naked”. Compare semantically German Nacktschnecke, Greek γυμνοσάλιαγκας (gymnosáliagkas).

cog

γυμνοσάλιαγκας


ċentupied

From Italian centopiedi or a Sicilian equivalent.


għassa

From Arabic عَسَّة (ʕassa, “guard”). Compare Moroccan Arabic عسة (ʕassa).


xlokk

From Arabic شَلُوق (šalūq), شَلُوك (šalūk, “southeastern wind”), probably acquired through Italo-Romance, see Italian scirocco. A doublet may be at hand in xellug (“left”), which see.

scirocco; sirocco (hot southeastern wind)


għanqbuta

singulative of għanqbut: a spiderweb, a cobweb; a single network construed by a spider


għanqbut

għanqbuta (singulative)
għanqbutiet (paucal)

From Arabic عَنْكَبُوت (ʕankabūt, “spider”).


għanqbutiet

paucal of għanqbuta: 2 to 10 spiderwebs; a small number of individual spiderwebs


qawmien

Derived from qam. The Arabic verbal noun is قِيام (qiyām), whence قِيامة (qiyāma, “resurrection”).

the act of standing up, rising, or awaking


għatx

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:


għadsa

għads (collective)
għadsiet (paucal)
għazza (alternative)


għadsa

singulative of għads: a dive, an instance of diving


għads

għadsa (singulative)
għadsiet (paucal)
għazz (alternative)


ħawħ

peach, peaches (several fruits; peach as a mass, taste, species)


ħawħiet

paucal of ħawħa: 2 to 10 peaches; a small number of individual peaches


fsied

From Arabic فَساد (fasād, “corruption, decadence”) and/or إفْساد (ʔifsād, “the act of corrupting, making decadent”). Both forms would have merged phonetically in Maltese.


xema'

xema’ (canonical masculine)
xemgħa (singulative)
xemgħat (paucal)
xama’ (alternative)


bxara

From Arabic بِشَارَة (bišāra, “good news”).

announcement, message, especially a positive one


lamtu

Borrowed from Sicilian àmitu (with a fused definite article), from Latin amidum, from older amylum, from Ancient Greek ἄμυλον (ámulon).

L-għaġin u l-patata fihom ħafna lamtu.

Pasta and potatoes contain a lot of starch.


qamel

qamla (singulative)
qmiel (plural)
qmul (plural)
qamliet (paucal)


qamliet

paucal of qamel: 2 to 10 lice; a small number of individual lice


tlugħ

mt-verbal noun

tlugħ m (instance noun telgħa or talgħa)


żarbun

żarbuna (singulative)
żraben (plural)
żarbuniet (paucal)

From regional Arabic زَرْبُون (zarbūn), also زَرْبُول (zarbūl, “slipper, sandal, boot, stiletto”, etc., depending on dialect), from Ancient Greek σέρβουλα (sérboula, “shoe, buskin”), from Latin servulus, servula (“slave”) through some sort of figurative use. There is no relation with phonetically similar Italian scarpone (“boot”).

der

f’żarbun ġa ssikkat. irkiekel dahri
tat-terrakotta － ’kk tmisshom,
isiru frak. dil-belt tentakli waħedha －
għoddha qalftitni fatat.

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


qaleb

From Arabic قالَب (qālab, “mould”), itself probably from Ancient Greek καλοπόδιον (kalopódion), the semantic relation with the above verb being coincidental.

a mould for baby cheese in the shape of a small hat or basket


ġbejna

mt-noun

ġbejna f (dual ġbintejn, plural ġbejniet)

Diminutive of ġobna (“lump or wheel of cheese”), singulative of ġobon (“cheese”).

a baby cheese, especially a certain kind that is common in Maltese cuisine (in local English called a cheeselet)


ċagħqa

ċagħqtejn (dual)
ċgħaq (plural)
ċgħuq (plural)
ċagħqiet (paucal)
ċagħka (alternative)

/ˈt͡ʃaˤː.ʔa/


ċagħaq

ċagħqa (singulative)
ċagħqtejn (dual)
ċgħaq (plural)
ċgħuq (plural)
ċagħqiet (paucal)
ċagħak (alternative)

From Sicilian ciaca (“pebble”). għ was probably inserted in Maltese to preserve the central realisation of the -a- (as in some other early Romance borrowings).


ċagħqiet

/t͡ʃaˤːˈʔɪːt/

paucal of ċagħqa: 2 to 10 pebbles; a small number of individual pebbles


bajdiet

paucal of bajda: 2 to 10 eggs; a small number of individual eggs


badtejn

(non-obligatory, limited use) dual of bajda: two eggs

non-obligatory; limited use; non-obligatory; limited use


sarġ

sarġ m (plural sruġ or sraġ, diminutive srajjeġ)

sruġ (plural)
sraġ (plural)
srajjeġ (diminutive)


mqass

mqassijiet (plural)
imqass (alternative also)


ħalliel

ħalliel m (plural ħallelin, feminine ħalliela)


xandar

xandar m (plural xandarin or xnadar, feminine xandara)

xandarin (plural)
xnadar (plural)
xandara (feminine)


tiġiġiet

/tɪ.d͡ʒɪˈd͡ʒɪːt/

paucal of tiġieġ: 2 to 10 chickens; a small number of individual chickens


dehra

id-dehriet tal-Madonna ġewwa Fatima.

apparition; instance of becoming visible


rispett

From Italian rispetto and/or Sicilian rispettu, both from Latin respectus.


għolja

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.


ajl

Possibly from Arabic أيّل (ʔayyil, ʔuyyal, “wild goat, ibex” as well as “deer”). The already ambiguous word may have been transferred to the porcupine, perhaps on account of its spines vis-à-vis the wild goat’s pointed horns. It must be considered that many of the inherited Arabic animal names lost their reference points in the limited fauna of the Maltese islands, which made these words liable to semantic reassignment. Compare Maltese fenek (“rabbit”) from Arabic فَنَك (fanak, “fennec fox”).


kustilja

kustilji (plural)
kostilja (alternative)

(anatomy) rib (bone on the side of the upper body)


leħja

beard as an object of shaving; facial hair; stubbles


geddum

Uncertain, but probably from Arabic. There are several comparable roots, two or more of which may also have been merged.
* Based on the meanings “chin, snout” compare: 1.) Arabic قَيْدُوم (qaydūm, “bow of a ship”), قُدّام (quddām, “front part”), from which latter Maltese quddiem; 2.) Berber (Tarifit) udem (“face”).
* Based on the meaning “lower jaw” compare: 1.) Maltese gidem (“to bite”), from Arabic كَدَمَ (kadama); 2.) Arabic قَدُّوم (qaddūm, “adze”); 3.) Arabic جُذُوم (juḏūm), plural of جِذْم (jiḏm, “root, foundation, lower part”, and in one old source “gum, place where a tooth grows”).
Phonetically, it should be noted that Maltese /ɡ/ is rare and tends to derive either from Berber or irregularly from Arabic ك (k) or ج (j), almost never from ق (q).


vleġġa

Borrowed from Sicilian fileccia, itself borrowed from Old French fleche, from Vulgar Latin *fleccia, of Frankish origin. The voicing of the obstruents seems irregular (perhaps expressive for the swift movement).


vleġeġ

/ˈvlɛ.d͡ʒɛt͡ʃ/


biċċiet

/bɪtˈt͡ʃɪːt/


bidu

Fil-bidu Alla ħalaq is-sema u l-art.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 1:1:

King James Version translation: In the beginning, God created heaven and earth.


tiniet

paucal of tina: 2 to 10 figs; a small number of individual figs


ċikatriċi

Borrowed from Italian cicatrice and/or Sicilian cicatrici, both from Latin cicātrīx.


nuqqas

Derived from nieqes (“lacking”), naqas (“to decrease”), perhaps as an alteration of Arabic نُقْصان (nuqṣān, “lack”).


lanġasiet

paucal of lanġasa: 2 to 10 pears; a small number of individual pears


daqq

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;


tefgħa

From Arabic دَفْعة (dafʕa, “push, thrust”) with /t/ after the underlying verb tefa’ (“to throw”), which see.


daħka

daħk (collective)
daħkiet (paucal)
daħqa (alternative)

From Arabic ضَحْكة (ḍaḥka), singulative of ضَحْك (ḍaḥk).

a laughter (single instance of laughing; a way of laughing)


daħkiet

paucal of daħka: a small number of individual laughters; different ways of laughter


ċirkomvenzjoni

mt-noun

ċirkomvenzjoni f (plural ċirkomvenzjonijiet)

ċirkomvenzjonijiet (plural)
ċirkumvenzjoni (alternative)


Brażiljan

Brażiljan m (plural Brażiljani, feminine Brażiljana)

Brażiljani (plural)
Brażiljana (feminine)


trobbija

Derived from the verb, perhaps as an alteration of Arabic تَرْبِية (tarbiya), which survives unaltered in Maltese tarbija (“baby”).

verbal noun of rabba: upbringing, rearing, education (of a child)


ċanga

robbu tal-ċanga

(dated) butcher block (a plank or a piece of tree trunk used by butchers for cutting meat)

(obsolete) A rustic wooden plank or seat made from the trunk of a tree.


seħer

seħer m (plural sħarijiet or isħra or sħieri)

sħarijiet (plural)
isħra (plural)
sħieri (plural)

From Arabic سِحْر (siḥr, “spell; charm”).


ħara

(Australia, archaic elsewhere) quarter, neighbourhood


ħara

ħarja (singulative)
ħarjiet (paucal)
ħrajwa (diminutive)

riħa ta’ ħara

Ħa ddaħħalni f’ħafna ħara.

You’re going to get me into a lot of trouble.

Kemm hu ħara dak ir-raġel.

Ilbieraħ mar il-bar u sar ħara.

Yesterday he went to the bar and got fuckfaced.


qdusija

Derived from qaddis (“holy”) with the common measure for abstract nouns, perhaps as an alteration of Arabic قُدْسِيّة (qudsiyya), which would have yielded Maltese *qudsija or *qodsija.


quddiesa

quddiesa f (plural quddies, paucal quddisiet)

Singulative derivation from Arabic قُدّاس (quddās). One of the specifically Christian terms inherited from Arabic; compare isqof.

(Christianity) a mass; a single celebration of the rite of Holy Mass


maqdes

a holy place; a temple or place of worship


quddisiet

paucal of quddiesa: 2 to 10 masses; a small number of individual celebrations of Holy Mass


loqma

From Arabic لُقْمة (luqma, “morsel, bite”).


ġamra

singulative of ġamar: an ember, a piece of live coal


għożża

From Arabic عِزّة (ʕizza, “prestige, standing, honour”). While the Arabic word refers to a quality of them who are cherished, the Maltese is subtly different in that it denotes the attitude with which others cherish them.


wirt

inheritance; legacy (that which is bequeathed and inherited)


werriet

mt-noun

werriet m (plural werrieta, feminine werrieta)


faħma

fħam (plural)
fħum (plural)
ifħma (plural)
faħmiet (paucal)


faħam

faħma (singulative)
fħam (plural)
fħum (plural)
ifħma (plural)
faħmiet (paucal)


faħmiet

paucal of faħma: 2 to 10 coals; a small number of individual pieces of coal


ġamar

ġamra (singulative)
ġmamar (plural)
ġamriet (paucal)


ġamriet

paucal of ġamra: 2 to 10 embers; a small number of individual pieces of live coal


ġara

female equivalent of ġar: a female neighbour


ġrajja

event; occurrence; something that happens


biċċier

/bɪtˈt͡ʃɪːr/

Borrowed from Sicilian vucceri, from Old French bouchier. The form was adapted to the occupational noun measure and a root was accordingly derived.


debħa

(religion) an animal or human sacrifice; an instance of sacrificial slaughter

(Christianity) “sacrifice” as referring to the Eucharist


qtil

Derived from qatel. Compare Moroccan Arabic قتيل (qtīl).

killing, murder, slaughter (the act of causing the death of a person or animal)


omiċidju volontarju

omiċidju volontarju m (plural omiċidji volontarji)

→ English: wilful homicide (calque)

Borrowed from Italian omicidio volontario.

bor+

211. (1) Kull min jinsab ħati ta’ omiċidju volontarju jeħel il-piena ta’ priġunerija għal għomru. (2) Hu ħati ta’ omiċidju volontarju kull min, dolożament, bil-ħsieb li joqtol persuna jew li jqiegħed il-ħajja tagħha f’periklu ċar, jikkaġunalha l-mewt.

2019, Kodiċi Kriminali, article 211, subarticles 1 and 2 (with official English version)

211. (1) Whosoever shall be guilty of wilful homicide shall be punished with imprisonment for life. (2) A person shall be guilty of wilful homicide if, maliciously, with intent to kill another person or to put the life of such other person in manifest jeopardy, he causes the death of such other person.

(law) murder; in Maltese legal English called wilful homicide


għomor

priġunerija għall-għomor

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

lifespan, lifetime (the entire time of a person’s life; with regard to living persons also: that which has passed of it or that which remains)

fl-għomor ta’ għoxrin sena

age (quality of having lived for a particular time)


tweġiba

tweġibiet (plural)
twiġiba (alternative)


opinjoni

/ɔpɪnˈjɔːnɪ/


ħliqa

mt-noun

ħliqa f (plural ħlejjaq, diminutive ħlejqa)

From Arabic خَلِيقَة (ḵalīqa, “something created, creature, creation”).

inh

Il-Għanja tiegħi tazza
mimlija min-nixxiegħa
tal-ferħ li ssaqqi u tkabbar
il-ħlejjaq fir-rebbiegħa.

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Għanja ta’ Żgħożiti”, in Mill-Gallerija ta’ Żgħożiti:


ħolqien

Verbal noun of ħalaq (“to create”). Compare Arabic خَلْق (ḵalq), of which it is perhaps an extended form.

Il-Għanja ta’ Żgħożiti
- bil-ferħ insiġtha jien, -
hi għanja lis-Sbuħija
Sultana tal-ħolqien.

creation (all that is created collectively)


bniedma

female equivalent of bniedem: a female human being; a girl or woman viewed as a member of the human race


swied il-qalb

U waqt li nħares fuq ta’ qalbi x-xitla
tat-tifkiriet tinbet tifkira ġdida,
b’warda ta’ swied il-qalb fejn tilma demgħa
minn ħbub għajnejja.

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Fuq Qabar Oħti”, in Fanali bil-Lejl:


fallaz

mt-noun

fallaz m (plural fallazi, feminine fallaza)


tewmi

tewmi m (plural tewmin, feminine tewmija)

From Arabic تَوْأَم (tawʔam). The expected form would be *tewwem. The form tewmi is either a backformation from the plural or derives from an adjective; compare Arabic تَوْأَمِيّ (tawʔamiyy).


għaliex

From underlying Arabic عَلَى أَيِّ شَيْء (ʕalā ʔayyi šayʔ, literally “on what thing”). By surface analysis, għal (“for”) + *iex (“what”); see xiex for the latter. Cognate with Moroccan Arabic علاش (ʕlāš, “why”).

der

عَلَى أَيِّ شَيْء

surf

Alternative form: għala

Għadni ma nafx il-għaliex


għadd

mt-verbal noun

għadd m (instance noun għadda, plural għaddiet or għedud)

għaddiet (plural)
għedud (plural)
għodd (alternative)

verbal noun of għadd: counting, calculation, number


għarqa

From Arabic غَرْقَة (ḡarqa), غَرْق (ḡarq).


bżar

From Arabic أَبْزار (ʔabzār, “spice”). The specific sense “pepper” also in Moroccan Arabic بزار (bzār). Compare further the unrelated but similar-sounding Arabic بَهار (bahār, “spice”), whence North Levantine Arabic بهار (bhār, “pepper”).


bżar

bżaru (singulative)
bżara (singulative)
bżariet (paucal)

sweet pepper, bell pepper; sweet pepper, bell peppers (several peppers; pepper as a species or mass)


tursin

Borrowed from Sicilian pitrusinu, from Latin petroselinum, from Ancient Greek πετροσέλῑνον (petrosélīnon). Probably an early borrowing in which the initial pi- was interpreted as the preposition bi (“with”), thus Maltese bit-tursin (“with parsley”), whence the backformation.

der

πετροσέλῑνον


tadamiet

paucal of tadama: 2 to 10 tomatoes; a small number of individual tomatoes


dudiet

plural of dudu or duda: 2 to 10 worms; a small number of individual worms


ġurad

mt-noun

ġurad m (plural ġuradi or ġradijiet, diminutive ġrajjed or ġrajjet)

ġuradi (plural)
ġradijiet (plural)
ġrajjed (diminutive)
ġrajjet (diminutive)
ġurat (alternative)
ġrat (alternative)
ġrad (alternative)

Dan Ġwanni kellu fuqu libsa tax-xagħar tal-ġemel, bi ħżiem tal-ġild madwar qaddu, u l-ikel tiegħu kien ġradijiet u għasel selvaġġ.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 3:4:

New International Version translation: John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

Jekk inti tibqa’ ma tridx tibgħat lill-poplu tiegħi, arani, għada nġib il-ġradijiet fl-art ta’ pajjiżek.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Eżodu 10:4:

New International Version translation: If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow.

Kienu jiġu bl-imrieħel tagħhom, bit-tined tagħhom kotrana daqs il-ġradijiet, u iġmla bla għadd, u kienu jiġu jħarbtu l-art kollha.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Imħallfin 6:5:

New International Version translation: They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it.


ġurat

Borrowed from Sicilian giuratu and/or Italian giurato, both from Latin iuratus.


ċinturin

From Italian cinturino or a Sicilian equivalent, a diminutive derivation from Latin cinctura. Doublet of ċinga and ċint.

belt (band around the waist worn principally to hold one’s trousers)


ċinga

Borrowed from Sicilian cinga, from Latin cingula, cingulum.

(in the plural) suspenders (an item used hold up trousers)


elmu

From Sicilian elmu and/or Italian elmo, both from Latin helmus, from Frankish *helm, from Proto-Germanic *helmaz. The Italo-Romance word is usually restricted to military helmets; the broader use in Maltese may be due to influence by English helmet, eventually from the same Germanic word.


azzar

Borrowed from Sicilian azzaru, from Latin aciarium, from acies.


furketta

Borrowed from Sicilian furchetta, diminutive of furca, from Latin furca.


sajd

fishing (the act of catching fish; a fisherman's work)


sajjied

sajjied m (plural sajjieda, feminine sajjieda)


merħla

merħla f (plural mrieħel, paucal merħliet)

Derived from Arabic رَحَلَ (raḥala, “to saddle, to journey”), which in early Maltese was used of herdsmen and their animals; compare raħħal (“herdsman, stockbreeder”), from Arabic رَحّال (raḥḥāl, “traveller”). The underlying form is probably مَرْحَلة (marḥala) or *مِرْحَلة (*mirḥala), though the formation would seem to be independent from the Arabic word meaning “day’s journey, stretch”. It could also be مُرْحَلة (murḥala) or مُرْحِلة (murḥila); compare أَرْحَلَ (ʔarḥala, “to have many camels; to train a camel; to become fat [of a camel]”).


raħħal

mt-noun

raħħal m (plural raħħala or raħħalin, feminine raħħala)

raħħala (plural)
raħħalin (plural)
raħħala (feminine)

From Arabic رَحَّال (raḥḥāl, “traveller”).


kompassjoni

Borrowed from Italian compassione, from Latin compassio.


miżerikordja

Borrowed from Italian misericordia, from Latin misericordia.


maħfra

talab maħfra

maħfra sħiħa

maħfra divina

maħfra tad-dnubiet


btala

btala f (plural btajjel, diminutive btajla)

From Arabic بِطَالَة (biṭāla, “work stoppage, free time, holiday”).

inh

(in the plural) holidays, break, vacation


ħamrija

Pertaining to aħmar (“red”). Probably an extended form of Arabic حُمَر (ḥumar), حُمْرة (ḥumra), which are also used of certain kinds of soil. Compare Moroccan Arabic حمري (ḥamri, “red earth”).

cog

earth; soil (organic material which covers the land)


ħmieġ

ħmieġa (singulative)
ħmiġijiet (paucal)
ħamġa (alternative)

From Arabic أَخْماج (ʔaḵmāj), plural of خَمَج (ḵamaj, “putrefication, decay”), from خَمَجَ (ḵamaja, “to rot, putrefy”). Compare Tunisian Arabic خْماج (“dirt”).


maktur

Borrowed from Sicilian maccaturi, muccaturi, probably from Old Occitan mocador. Cognate with Catalan mocador, French mouchoir.

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.

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

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.

handkerchief (small towel of cloth or paper)


tarf

mt-noun

tarf m (plural truf or trufijiet or traf or turfien or trafijiet, diminutive trajjef)

truf (plural)
trufijiet (plural)
traf (plural)
turfien (plural)
trafijiet (plural)
trajjef (diminutive)


ġenb

ġenb m (dual ġenbejn, plural ġnub or ġnieb, diminutive ġnejba)

ġenbejn (dual)
ġnub (plural)
ġnieb (plural)
ġnejba (diminutive)


naħa

naħa f (plural nħawi, paucal naħat or naħiet)

nħawi (plural)
naħat (paucal)
naħiet (paucal)
naħu (alternative obsolete)
naħja (alternative obsolete)

Setgħet ġibdet lejn il-Mellieħa, mit-triq jew mill-passaġġ, jew qabdet it-triq tal-Imġiebaħ, inkella minn ħdejn il-lukanda għan-naħa t’Għajn Ħadid, jew jista’ jkun anke telqet lejn Forti Campbell iktar kmieni, qabel ma wasalt jien.

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

side; direction (space in relation to some reference point, e.g. to the left or right of it)


ħut

From Arabic حُوت (ḥūt), which was reinterpreted as collective and provided with the singulative -a.

U jmut il-ħut li hemm fin-Nil, u tinten in-Nil u l-Eġizzjani jiddardru jixorbu minnha.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Eżodu 7:18:

King James Version translation: And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.


ħutiet

paucal of ħuta: 2 to 10 fish; a small number of individual fish


impjieg

Borrowed from Sicilian mpiegu, impiegu and/or Italian impiego, eventually derived from Latin implicare.


qalziet

Singularised plural of the variant qalza, from older Sicilian *calza (“hose, stocking”), from Early Medieval Latin calcea, from Latin calceus (“shoe”). Compare contemporary Sicilian causi, cansi (“trousers”) and, with the original sense and form preserved, Italian calza (“sock, stocking”).


ħelsien

Maltese derivation from ħieles (“free”), from Arabic خالِص (ḵāliṣ); replaced ħlas (now only “payment”).

X’sejra ġġibilna ġewwa l-fardal tiegħek.
ja Sena Ġdida?
Ah! biegħed minna
il-għelt, il-ġlied,
id-demm bejn l-aħwa;
rażżan ir-regħba u l-ġibdiet tal-ħakma,
rattab l-irjus u l-qlub,
ġibilna s-sabar ta’ xulxin, l-imħabba,
ġibilna l-għaqda,
ġibilna s-sliem,
ġibilna l-ħelsien!

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


għaxqa

From Arabic عِشْق (ʕišq, “love, romantic passion”).

inh

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:


ħsad

From Arabic حِصاد (ḥiṣād), حَصاد (ḥaṣād).

harvest (act of reaping; that which has been reaped)


ħassad

Arabic حَصّاد (ḥaṣṣād)


xenqa

From Arabic شَنْق (šanq, “longing, yearning”). The senses of the root are generally related to binding and hanging, today chiefly as a form of execution. Perhaps the relevant sense can be derived thence from the idea that a person’s heart is bound and suffocating, or alternatively from accelerated breathing and moaning.

desire, yearning, longing, craving, urge


għaġla

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:


tewm

tewma (singulative)
twiem (plural)
tewmiet (paucal)

From Arabic ثُوم (ṯūm). The underlying form in Maltese as well as some Arabic dialects is ثَوْم (ṯawm).


sadid

Formally from Arabic صَدِيد (ṣadīd, “pus, ichor”), but the sense from صَدَأ (ṣadaʔ, “rust”). Compare Algerian Arabic صديد (ṣdīd, “rust”). Apart from their phonetic similarity, both Arabic words refer to impure substances forming on surfaces. Note also the rhyme with ħadid (“iron”).


ġifen

mt-noun

ġifen m (plural iġfna or ġfien, diminutive ġfejjen)

iġfna (plural)
ġfien (plural)
ġfejjen (diminutive)

Bħal ġifen tal-merkanti, hi ġġib mill-bogħod ikilha.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-proverbji 31:14:

King James Version translation: She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.


umdu

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


nxufija

nxufijiet (plural)
inxufija (alternative also)

dryness (quality or degree of being dry)


xott

Alternative form: xutt

shot (launching of a ball or similar object toward a goal)


għeja

From Arabic عَيَاء (ʕayāʔ), إعْيَاء (ʔiʕyāʔ).


blatiet

paucal of blata: 2 to 10 rocks; a small number of individual rocks or pieces of rock


ġarr

verbal noun of ġarr: transport, carriage


fwieħa

fwieħa f (plural fwejjaħ or fwiħat, diminutive fwejħa)

fwejjaħ (plural)
fwiħat (plural)
fwejħa (diminutive)

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:


kutra

Borrowed from Sicilian cutra, probably eventually from Latin culcita, culcitra. Compare Italian coltre.


bajsikil

bajsikils (plural)
bicycle (alternative)


staġun

Borrowed from Sicilian staggiuni, from Latin statio. Doublet of stazzjon (“station”).


stazzjon

stazzjonijiet (plural)
istazzjon (alternative)
stazzjoni (alternative)
istazzjoni (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian stazione, from Latin statio. Doublet of staġun (“season”).


ħrafa

ħrafa f (plural ħrejjef or ħrajjef, diminutive ħrejfa or ħrajfa)

ħrejjef (plural)
ħrajjef (plural)
ħrejfa (diminutive)
ħrajfa (diminutive)

Ħafna nies jaħsbu li din l-istorja hija biss ħrafa qadima, imma hija verità.

Many people think that this story is just an old fable, but it is true.


għarbiel

(figurative) check, scan, careful examination


għeriebel

/ɛˤːˈrɪː.bɛl/

/ɣɛˈrɪː.bɛl/


fażola

fażola (singulative)
fażoli (plural)
fażoliet (paucal)

Borrowed from Sicilian fasola, from Latin phaseolus, from Ancient Greek φάσηλος (phásēlos).


qurdien

qurdiena (singulative)
qraden (plural)
qurdiniet (paucal)

From Arabic قِرْدَان (qirdān), plural of قُراد (qurād).


velenu

veleni (plural)
valenu (alternative dialectal)

Borrowed from Italian veleno, from Latin venenum.

vvelena

avvalena, vvalena, vvaliena, avvelena, invalena


għan

inh

Arabic عَانِي (ʕānī)


sjuf

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


siġriet

/sɪd͡ʒˈrɪːt/


ġobniet

/d͡ʒɔbˈnɪːt/


għanbaqar

għanbaqra (singulative)
għajnbaqriet (paucal)


kuraġġ

Borrowed from Sicilian curaggiu, from Old French corage, eventually derived from Latin cor (“heart”).


lgħab

drool, slobber (excessive saliva as e.g. in babies or old people)


għajnbaqar

għajnbaqra (singulative)
għajnbaqriet (paucal)
għanbaqar (alternative)
għajn baqar (alternative)
għambaqar (alternative)

From Arabic عَيْن بَقَر (ʕayn baqar). By surface analysis, għajn + baqar.

plum, plums (several fruits; plum as a mass, taste, species)


għajnbaqra

għajnbaqar (collective)
għajnbaqriet (plural)

singulative of għajnbaqar: a plum (single fruit)


għanbaqra

għanbaqar (collective)
għanbaqriet (plural)
għambaqra (alternative)


difiża

Borrowed from Sicilian difisa, from Latin defensa.


ħama

From Arabic حَمَأ (ḥamaʔ). The word predominantly keeps its masculine gender in Maltese, but may also be feminised on account of the final -a.

silt, sludge, ooze (fine mud as found especially near the seashore)


tajn

From Arabic طِين (ṭīn). Some older Gozitan dialects regularly diphthongised /iː/ and /uː/ in the vicinity of emphatic consonants. In tajn, this diphthongisation established itself more widely probably because it prevented homophony with tin (“figs”), from Arabic تِين (tīn).


wisa'

wisa’ (canonical masculine)
wisgħat (plural)

width, breadth (quality or degree of being wide, broad)


luħ

From Arabic لَوْح (lawḥ, “board, plank, anything broad and flat”).


miżien

mt-noun

miżien m (plural mwieżen, diminutive mwejżen)


għana

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;


rikkezza

Għandna nipproteġu r-rikkezza kulturali tal-gżejjer tagħna.

We must protect the cultural wealth of our islands.


saħta

saħta f (plural sħat or sħati, paucal saħtiet)

sħat (plural)
sħati (plural)
saħtiet (paucal)

From Arabic سُخْطة (suḵṭa). Compare Tunisian Arabic سخطة (saḵṭa, “curse, affliction”). See seħet for more.


nofsinhar

From Arabic نِصْف النَّهَار (niṣf an-nahār, “midday; meridian”). By surface analysis, nofs (“mid, half”) + nhar (“day”). Sense 2 is a calque of Italian mezzogiorno.

inh

نِصْف النَّهَار


għekiereb

/ɛˤːˈkɪː.rɛp/


kimiki

plural of kimika (“chemistry, chemical substance”)


jies

Il-marida qatgħet jiesha mill-fejqan.

hope; but chiefly in a negative context, especially with qata’ (“to give up”)


baqq

From Arabic بَقّ (baqq). The similarity with the English word is coincidental.

bugs, bedbugs (several or the species as such)


maqgħad

a seat (that part of a chair on which one sits; a chair-like construction in a car etc.)


sedil

seat (that part of a chair on which one sits; a chair-like construction in a car etc.)


ħila

From Arabic حِيلَة (ḥīla, “ruse, maneuver”). The phrase لَا حِيلةَ لَهُ (lā ḥīlata lahu, literally “he has no maneuver”) is used with a similar meaning as in Maltese; and compare حَيْل (ḥayl, “power”).

M’għandniex ħila ngħinuhom.

U nissaħħar nisma’ dak it-tvenvin xħin tibda tiddwella mas-sikkina bil-ħila u l-ħeffa tal-aqwa gwerrier.


katina

mt-noun

katina f (plural ktajjen or katini, diminutive ktajna)

ktajjen (plural)
katini (plural)
ktajna (diminutive)

Borrowed from Sicilian catina, from Latin catēna. Cognate with English chain.

Ejja ‘l hawn, la tibżax minni,
bil-katina ma norbtokx;
norbtok biss bl-għeruq ta’ qalbi,
f’ħajti kollha ma nħollokx.

1975, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Kappella tal-Paċi”, in L-Għanja tas-Sittin:

chain (series of interconnected rings or links)

(masonry) header (brick that is laid sideways)

(nautical) coaming (the vertical side of the hatch on a boat)


qasrija

Wiċċ ta’ warda bajda u ħamra, għidli mnejn ġabitek ommok!
 Li kont warda ġol-qasrija, kont filgħodu niġi nxommok.

Face like a white-red rose, tell me where your mother brought you from!
 If you were a rose in a flowerpot, I’d come to smell you in the morning time.


ġid

From Arabic جَيِّد (jayyid, “good”). Infact compare older form ġajjid as seen in older Maltese texts. As a possible semantic influence compare also Italian beni (“goods, means, riches”).


reqqa

From Arabic رِقّة (riqqa, “thinness, fineness, graciousness, diffidence”).


qofol

(figurative, still common) the central point, core, heart, highlight of anything


qafla

mt-noun

qafla f (plural qfieli, paucal qafliet, diminutive qfejla)

qfieli (plural)
qafliet (paucal)
qfejla (diminutive)


dehen

dehen m (plural (both unused) dehnijiet or idhna)


madmad

Ħudu fuqkom il-madmad tiegħi u tgħallmu minni, għaliex jiena ta’ qalb ħelwa u umli, u intom issibu l-mistrieħ għal ruħkom. Għax il-madmad tiegħi ħelu u t-toqol tiegħi ħafif.”

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 11:29–30:

New International Version translation: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Int tgħix fuq sejfek, u ‘l ħuk għad taqdi.U meta tiġi biex tarfa’ rasek, int tkisser il-madmad tiegħu minn fuq għonqok u tfarfru minn fuqek.”

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 27:40:

New International Version translation: You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck.”

Għalhekk għid lil ulied Iżrael: ‘Jiena Jaħweh, u jien noħroġkom minn taħt il-madmad tal-Eġittu u neħliskom mill-jasar tagħkom, u nifdikom bis-saħħa ta’ driegħi u nagħmel ħaqq minnhom b’għemejjel kbar. Jien naħtarkom u neħodkom biex tkunu l-poplu tiegħi, u jiena nkun Alla tagħkom, u tkunu tafu li jien Jaħweh, il-Mulej, Alla tagħkom, li ħeliskom minn taħt il-madmad tal-Eġittu.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Eżodu 6:6–7:

New International Version translation: “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.


ċoqqa

Borrowed from Sicilian ciucca, probably either from Latin cuculla (through a metathesis *culucca) or from Latin clocca. Cognate with English cowl and cloak respectively; see these.

cowl (a monk’s hood; a habit with such a hood)


laqam

From Arabic لَقَب (laqab) with irregular -m for -b; possibly by association with unrelated laqqam (“to graft”), as if the new name were “engrafted” onto the person. Compare Moroccan Arabic لقن (laqqan, “to call someone by their last name”).


qronfol

qronfla (singulative)
qronfliet (paucal)

From Arabic قَرَنْفُل (qaranful). Compare Sicilian Garòfalu.

Syzygium aromaticum
Syzygium aromaticum#Translingual

Dianthus caryophyllus
Dianthus caryophyllus#Translingual


sewwa

From Arabic سَوَاء (sawāʔ, “evenness, smoothness”).

inh

that which is true and just; the right thing


għul

From Arabic غُول (ḡūl). Cognate with English ghoul.


mingħul

mt-noun

mingħul m (plural mniegħel, feminine mingħula)

From a metathesis of dated milgħun (“cursed”), from Arabic مَلْعُون (malʕūn). Compare Moroccan Arabic منعول (manʕūl), Tunisian Arabic منعول (manʕūl) and Iraqi Arabic منعول (manʕūl).


injam

Borrowed from Sicilian lignami (“wood”), from Early Medieval Latin lignāmen, derived from Latin lignum. The initial l- was reinterpreted as the Sicilian and/or Maltese definite article. Compare Italian legname.


għuda

għuda f (plural għudiet or għewied or għawwied, diminutive għewejda)

għudiet (plural)
għewied (plural)
għawwied (plural)
għewejda (diminutive)

Singulative of Arabic عُود (ʕūd). The basic word was displaced by Maltese injam and is now only reserved for specifically hardwoods, as used by the similie iebes għuda (as stiff/firm as hardwood).


ħatab

ħatba (singulative)
ħtab (plural)
ħtabi (plural)
ħtub (plural)
ħatbiet (paucal)


waħx

From Arabic وَحْش (waḥš, “deserted, solitary; wild beast”). Compare also related وَحْشة (waḥša, “wildness, shyness, solitude, fear”) and وَحْشِيّ (waḥšiyy, “wild, uncivilised, cruel”).

inh

(countable) a scary or spooky being
ghost, spectre

(countable) a scary or spooky being
monster

Aħjar waħxek milli wensek

(Can we date this quote?), (Please provide the book title or journal name):

Your absence is better than your presence

(archaic) the lack of people, loneliness


xorta

Borrowed from Sicilian sciorta, sorta, from Latin sors. Doublet of xorti (“fate, luck”). In contemporary Sicilian the form with sci- seems less common, but it is still found.


xorti

Borrowed from Sicilian sciorti, sorti, from Latin sors. Doublet of xorta, which see.


xorti

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


faraġ

relief, disburdenment; joy that dispels sorrow; comfort, solace


ħajr

From Arabic خَيْر (ḵayr, “good, goodness”). For the sense compare the phrase جَزاكَ اللهُ خَيْرَا (jazāka llāhu ḵayrā, “thank you!”, literally “may God give you good reward!”).

Niżżik ħajr!

Il-Kelma tal-Mulej. — Ħajr lil Alla!

The Word of the Lord. — Thanks be to God! (Response phrase in Catholic Mass after the Bible reading)

“Diġà għidtlek. M’għandix bżonn teżori, Sur Antonio. Il-ktieb tal-matematika rigal kbir u biżżejjed għalija. Niżżik ħajr mill-qalb.”

(chiefly in expressions) thanks, thankfulness


ħodon

mt-noun

ħodon m (plural ħdan or ħdajjen, diminutive ħdejjen or ħdajjen)

ħdan (plural)
ħdajjen (plural)
ħdejjen (diminutive)
ħdajjen (diminutive)

(by extension) epigastric region (the part between the chest and the belly)

ħodon ilma

xita bil-ħodon

fi ħdan il-familja


żejża

From Arabic بُزَيْزة (buzayza), diminutive of بِزّ (bizz). For the loss of initial b- compare Algerian Arabic زيزة (zīza, “breast”, also “vulva” and “little boy’s penis”).


bodbod

Perhaps from a dialectal Arabic word for “stout, corpulent”. Compare Tunisian Arabic مبطبط (mbaṭbaṭ, “fat, fatso”). In line with this, Vassalli gives the form botbot (plural btabet). The similarity with Portuguese bode (“billygoat”) is suggestive, but the word seems to be restricted to the western half of Iberia and its origin is also unknown.


niket

From Arabic نَكْد (nakd) with generalisation of final devoicing throughout the root.

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


balzmu

Borrowed from Italian balsamo and/or Sicilian bàlsamu, from Latin balsamum, from Ancient Greek βάλσαμον (bálsamon).


dejn

(finance) debt (money owed; the state of owing money)

Qatt la tinsa li taw kull m’għandhom.
 Meta żżurhom, tkun tħallas id-dejn.

2015, “Tikmixa”performed by Sidney Rose Henwood:

Never forget that [old people] gave all they had.
 When you visit them, you pay back the debt.

(figurative) moral debt (good treatment that one owes someone)


qorban

(Christianity) Alternative form of qorbien: Eucharist, Holy Communion


ħtija

inh

Arabic خَطِيئَة (ḵaṭīʔa)


daqs

Aquilina identifies it with Bedouin Tunisian Arabic تقز (tagz, “similar in age, height, weight, etc.”). Though this seems likely, it does not solve the question of eventual origin. Perhaps from underlying ta’ qies (literally “of measure”), from Arabic قَيْس (qays). The Tunisian -z must then be due to assimilation.


ħenna

From Arabic حِنّاء (ḥinnāʔ). Probably not inherited, but borrowed through English henna, Italian henna.


qiem

From Arabic أَقَامَ (ʔaqāma, “to perform”, also a religious duty).


xibka

mt-noun

xibka f (plural xbiek or xbieki, diminutive xbejka)

xbiek (plural)
xbieki (plural)
xbejka (diminutive)


dagħbien

dgħaben (plural)
degħbien (alternative)
dogħbien (alternative)

Derived from Arabic دَعَبَ (daʕaba, “to thrust, push”, and of wind or water “to be violent”). The sense “abyss” then probably from the violent currents at the bottom of a steep coast, transferred to the coast itself.


xaqq

a split, crack


vanġelu

vanġeli (plural)
Vanġelu (alternative)
evanġelju (alternative)
Evanġelju (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian vangelo, from Latin evangelium, from Ancient Greek εὐαγγέλιον (euangélion, “good tidings”).


evanġelju

evanġelji (plural)
Evanġelju (alternative)
vanġelu (alternative)
Vanġelu (alternative)

Directly from Latin evangelium, from Ancient Greek εὐαγγέλιον (euangélion, “good tidings”).


raheb

From Arabic رَاهِب (rāhib). One of the specifically Christian words inherited from Arabic, though in this case one that is widely known among Muslims (and also mentioned in the Quran).


rahba

(Christianity, archaic) female equivalent of raheb: a nun


tnehid

verbal noun of tniehed: sighing; moaning


spirtu

Borrowed from Sicilian spìritu, from Latin spiritus.


aħħar

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


qara'

qara’ (canonical masculine)
qargħa (singulative)
qargħat (paucal)

bil-qargħa


qara'

qara’ (canonical masculine)
qargħa (singulative)
qargħat (paucal)
qrajgħa (diminutive)

From Arabic قَرْع (qarʕ, “pumpkin, gourd”).

qara’ aħmar

qarabagħli ― courgette (literally, “unirrigated gourd”)


qargħa

singulative of qara’: a pumpkin (single fruit)


qargħat

paucal of qara’: 2 to 10 pumpkins, a small number of individual pumpkin fruits


behem

Backformation from the plural bhiem, from Arabic إِبْهَام (ʔibhām).


raġġ

Borrowed from Sicilian raggiu and/or Italian raggio, from Latin radius.


meraq

From Arabic مَرَق (maraq, “meat juice, broth”).

inh

juice (any liquid containing organic matter)


dulliegħ

dulliegħa (singulative)
dlielagħ (plural)
dulligħat (paucal)
dolliegħ (alternative)

watermelon (as a mass or species); several watermelons


dulliegħa

singulative of dulliegħ: a watermelon (single fruit)


bagalja

Borrowed from Sicilian bagagliu and/or Italian bagaglio, both from Old French bagage. The form in -a perhaps backformed from the plural.


valiġġa

Borrowed from Sicilian valiggia, from Latin valisia.


ward u żahar

Il-ħajja taż-żwieġ mhix dejjem ward u żahar.

Married life isn’t always a bed of roses.


innu

Borrowed from Sicilian innu and/or Italian inno, both from Latin hymnus, from Ancient Greek ὕμνος (húmnos).


xkiel

From Arabic إشْكَال (ʔiškāl, “problem, difficulty”).


ħamba

Probably from ħambaq (“to argue loudly”) with loss of the final radical. The verb is inherited from dialectal Arabic; compare Najdi Arabic خنبقة (ḵanbaga, “something messy, unorderly”).


mnut

Borrowed from Sicilian minutu. Doublet of minuta.


tgħal

mt-noun

tgħal m (plural tgħala or tgħul, feminine tgħala)

tgħala (plural)
tgħul (plural)
tgħala (feminine)


pinzell

From older Sicilian *pinzellu (modern pinzeddu).


providenza

providenzi (plural)
provvidenza (alternative)


gozz

gzuz (plural)
gods (alternative archaic)

From Arabic كُدْس (kuds, “to pile”). In the original plural أَكْداس (ʔakdās) and in certain forms of the related verb كَدَسَ (kadasa), the -k- was voiced by assimilation to the following -d-, and this voicing was then generalised (as in gideb, gidem etc.). In a second step the cluster -ds- was reanalysed as -zz-, leading to the new plural gzuz.


patrun

patrun m (plural patruni, feminine patruna)


saborra

saborri (plural)
saburra (alternative)
savorra (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian saborra /zavorra, from Arabic صَابُورَة (ṣābūra).

der

Arabic صَابُورَة (ṣābūra)

tajjeb għas-saborra


silika

(inorganic chemistry) silica (silicon dioxide)


kurrat

kurrata (singulative)
kurratiet (paucal)
korrat (alternative)


wadab

Inherited from dialectal Arabic وَضَف (waḍaf), attested in Iberian Arabic and still in Maghrebi dialects.


summien

summiena (singulative)
summiniet (paucal)

Coturnix coturnix
Coturnix coturnix#Translingual

common quails (Coturnix coturnix) (several birds; the quail as a species)


għafrit

għefieret (plural)
għafrid (alternative)

Bħal għafrit fl-isqaq mar jiġri,
 Jfitt’x lil dak li staħba hemm.
 Bi stallett nifidlu qalbu
 U ħallieh f’għadira demm.

“Rajt, ma rajtx”performed by Tony Camilleri:

Like a demon he ran into the lane,
 Looking for the guy who was hiding there.
 With a dagger he pierced his heart
 And left him in a pool of blood.


demonju

Borrowed from Italian demonio, from Latin daemonium, from Ancient Greek δαιμόνιον (daimónion).


ħjiel

mt-noun

ħjiel m (plural ħjilijiet or ħjiliet or ħjieli)

ħjilijiet (plural)
ħjiliet (plural)
ħjieli (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:


għefieret

/ɛˤːˈfɪː.rɛt/


qies

From Arabic قِياس (qiyās) and/or قَيْس (qays).


kuġin

kuġin m (plural kuġini, feminine kuġina)

kuġini (plural)
kuġina (feminine)
kuġini (first-person singular)
kuġinna (first-person singular)
kuġinek (second-person singular)
kuġinukom (second-person singular)
kuġinkom (second-person singular)
kuġinu (masculine singular third-person)
kuġinuha (feminine singular third-person)
kuġinha (feminine singular third-person)
kuġinuhom (singular third-person)
kuġinhom (singular third-person)

Borrowed from Sicilian cucinu, cuginu and/or Italian cugino, both from Old French cosin, from Latin consobrinus.

Ingħatat dispensa mill-knisja u żżewġet kuġinuha.

She got a dispensation from the church and married her cousin.


kuġina

kuġini (plural)
kuġinti (first-person singular)
kuġintna (first-person singular)
kuġintek (second-person singular)
kuġintkom (second-person singular)
kuġintu (masculine singular third-person)
kuġintha (feminine singular third-person)
kuġinthom (singular third-person)

Ingħata dispensa mill-knisja u żżewweġ kuġintu.

He got a dispensation from the church and married his cousin.

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:

female equivalent of kuġin: female cousin


erħa

erħa f (plural erħiet or erieħ, diminutive erejħa)

erħiet (plural)
erieħ (plural)
erejħa (diminutive)

From Maghrebi Arabic أَرْخَة (ʔarḵa). Compare Tunisian Arabic أرخة (ʔarḵa).


akaċja tax-xewk żgħir

LL-Q9166 (mlt)-GħawdxiVeru-akaċja tax-xewk żgħir.wav


akaċja

Borrowed from Italian acacia, from Latin acācia. Doublet of gażżija.


gażżija

Borrowed from Italian gaggìa or more probably a regional variant of it. Doublet of akaċja.


ħannewija

Acanthus mollis
Acanthus mollis#Translingual


tursin il-bir

Adiantum capillus-veneris
Adiantum capillus-veneris#Translingual

maidenhair fern, Adiantum capillus-veneris


għajn is-serduq

small-fruit pheasant's-eye, Adonis microcarpa


sieq il-qattus

rabbit-foot aeluropus, Aeluropus lagopoides


qanċlita perenni

tuberous hawk's-beard (Aetheorhiza bulbosa)


ħaxixa rqiqa ta' kupani

ħaxixa rqiqa ta’ kupani (canonical feminine)


xantkura

inh

شَنْدْكُورَة

Arabic شَنْدْكُورَة (šandkūra)

xantqur (alternative)
xandkur (alternative)

Ajuga reptans
Ajuga reptans#Translingual

carpet bugle (Ajuga gen. et spp., or particularly Ajuga iva and Ajuga reptans)


bastun ta' San Ġuzepp

bastun ta’ San Ġuzepp (canonical masculine)


biżbula tal-ilma tal-werqa dejqa

/bɪzˈbuː.la taˈlɪl.ma talˈwɛr.ʔa ˈdɛj.ʔa/

lanceleaf water plantain, Alisma lanceolatum


biżbula tal-ilma

Alisma plantago-aquatica
Alisma plantago-aquatica#Translingual

common water plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica)


tewm salvaġġ

Allium ampeloprasum
Allium ampeloprasum#Translingual


tewm irqiq ta' Malta

tewm irqiq ta’ Malta (canonical masculine)


ċuplajs

From older Sicilian *cipulluzza (modern cipudduzza).


tewm ta' Għawdex

white round-headed garlic, Allium sphaerocephalon subsp. arvense


tewm kaħlani

round-headed garlic, Allium sphaerocephalon subsp. sphaerocephalon


skaner

(computing) scanner (device which scans documents)


tewm tal-qsari

fragrant false garlic, Nothoscordum borbonicum


denb il-ġurdien it-twil

slender meadow foxtail, Alopecurus myosuroides


denb id-dib tal-qsari

Amaranthus blitum
Amaranthus blitum#Translingual


denb id-dib lixx

Amaranthus caudatus
Amaranthus caudatus#Translingual

large-fruit amaranth (Amaranthus deflexus)


denb id-dib vjola kbir

Amaranthus tricolor
Amaranthus tricolor#Translingual


denb id-dib xewwikija

red-root amaranth, Amaranthus retroflexus


denb id-dib ta' tliet kuluri

denb id-dib ta’ tliet kuluri (canonical masculine)


alaternu

Borrowed from Italian alaterno, from Latin alaternus.

Rhamnus alaternus
Rhamnus alaternus#Translingual


alka tas-Salini

Zostera marina
Zostera marina#Translingual


almeridja

common glasswort, Salicornia europaea subsp. europaea


almeridja tal-blat

glaucous glasswort, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum


almeridja arbuxxell tal-blat

LL-Q9166 (mlt)-GħawdxiVeru-almeridja arbuxxell tal-blat.wav

shrubby glasswort (Salicornia fruticosa, syn. Sarcocornia fruticosa)


artiċokk

Helianthus tuberosus
Helianthus tuberosus#Translingual

Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus


xabla

Borrowed from Sicilian sciabula and/or Italian sciabola, from Polish szabla, from Hungarian szablya.


stallett

stalletti (plural)
istallett (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian stiletto or a Sicilian equivalent. Eventually from Latin stilus.


xkupa

mt-noun

xkupa f (plural xkupi, diminutive xkupetta)

xkupi (plural)
xkupetta (diminutive)
ixkupa (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian scupa, from Latin scopa.


filgħaxija

filgħaxijiet (plural)
flgħaxija (alternative informal)
għaxija (alternative)

From fil-għaxija (literally “in the evening”), from Arabic عَشِيّة (ʕašiyya).


rdum

rdum m (plural rdumijiet or rdejjem or rdajjem, diminutive rdajjem)

rdumijiet (plural)
rdejjem (plural)
rdajjem (plural)
rdajjem (diminutive)
irdum (alternative also)

From Arabic رُدُوم (rudūm), plural of رَدْم (radm).


għajb

L-imġiba tiegħu hi għajb għall-familja kollha.

His behaviour is a disgrace for the whole family.

U ħafna minn dawk li huma rieqda fit-trab tal-art jistenbħu, min għall-ħajja ta’ dejjem u min għall-għajb u l-istmerrija għal dejjem.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Profeta Danjel 12:2:

New International Version translation: Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.


għors

(still current) delight; great fun; a feast (for someone)


għera

From Arabic عَراء (ʕarāʔ), feminised because of the final -a.


dija

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,


għamara

Ilbieraħ mort nixtri l-għamara ta’ barra għall-ġnien tiegħi.

Yesterday I went to buy outside furniture for my garden.


mistieden

mistieden m (plural mistednin or mistiedna, feminine mistiedna)

mistednin (plural)
mistiedna (plural)
mistiedna (feminine)


rieda

will (one’s faculty of wanting or willing something)


ftehim

ftehim m (plural ftehimiet or ftehimijiet or ftehimi)

ftehimiet (plural)
ftehimijiet (plural)
ftehimi (plural)


tqegħid

Iċ-ċerimonja ntemmet bit-tqegħid tal-fjuri taħt il-monument.

The ceremony ended with the laying of flowers at the monument.

verbal noun of qiegħed and tqiegħed: the act of putting, placing; being put, placed


lewż

u qalb il-pal tal-bajtar
il-flieles żgħar minn bejn ir-rix tal-qroqqa
joħorġu jnaqqru l-brajma tal-ġulġliena;
u ġol-benniena
fid-dar ta’ ħdejn il-lewża
fil-ħeġġa tal-ħommejr
jitwieled bambin żgħir

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Żmien ir-Rebbiegħa”, in Fanali bil-Lejl:

almond, almonds (several nuts; almond as a mass or species)


ġewż

ġewża (singulative)
ġewżtejn (dual)
ġwież (plural)
ġewżiet (paucal)

walnuts (several nuts; walnut as a mass or species)


xirka

association, community, confraternity, guild, league

ix-xirka tal-qaddisin


assenzju

Artemisia absinthium
Artemisia absinthium#Translingual


awrikarja kbira

Norfolk Island pine, Araucaria heterophylla


awrikarja ta' Bidwill

awrikarja ta’ Bidwill (canonical feminine)


ibisku

Learned borrowing from Late Latin hibiscus.

lbor

ibiskus (alternative)
babisku (alternative)

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis#Translingual

Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)


bagular

European nettle tree
European nettle tree

Celtis australis
Celtis australis#Translingual


bajtar tax-xewk

Opuntia ficus-indica
Opuntia ficus-indica#Translingual


ballut Ingliż

Quercus robur
Quercus robur#Translingual


prietka

Borrowed from Sicilian prèdica.
The spelling with -t- is due to the fact that words not integrated into the root system are spelt strictly phonetically unless the underlying phoneme can be deduced from an inflection (but not another related word).


bugħaddas

mt-noun

bugħaddas m (plural bugħaddasa, feminine bugħaddasa)

bugħaddasa (plural)
bugħaddasa (feminine)

Gavia stellata
Gavia stellata#Translingual


reħa

inh

Arabic أَرْخَى (ʔarḵā)

verbal noun of reħa: slackening, release


dmir

dmirijiet (plural)
dmiri (first-person singular)
dmirna (first-person singular)
dmirek (second-person singular)
dmirkom (second-person singular)
dmiru (masculine singular third-person)
dmirha (feminine singular third-person)
dmirhom (singular third-person)

From Arabic ضَمِير (ḍamīr, “conscience”). The shift of meaning is probably due to the semantic influence of dovere (“duty”).

Kulħadd għandu jaqdi dmiru.


kaxxa

mt-noun

kaxxa f (plural kaxxi or kaxex, diminutive kxajxa or kxajxetta or kaxxetta)

kaxxi (plural)
kaxex (plural)
kxajxa (diminutive)
kxajxetta (diminutive)
kaxxetta (diminutive)


faqqiegħ

faqqiegħa (singulative)
faqqigħat (plural)

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:

mushroom, mushrooms (several or a mass of them; the species as such)


ħafur

From Arabic خَافُور (ḵāfūr). The similarity with German Hafer etc. is coincidental.

inh

Arabic خَافُور (ḵāfūr)


verġni

Borrowed from Sicilian vìrgini and/or Italian vergine, both from Latin virgo.

virgin (a person, especially female, who has never had sexual intercourse)


midfen

burial site; someone's grave; a place where one or more persons are buried


ċimiterju

Borrowed from Sicilian cimiteriu, variant of cimiteru, from Latin coemeterium, from Ancient Greek κοιμητήριον (koimētḗrion). Doublet of zuntier.


serrieq

Probably from Arabic سَرّاق (sarrāq), سَرّاقة (sarrāqa, “kind of small saw”). This may itself be a borrowing from a Romance derivative of Latin serra (compare Sicilian sirraccu, Catalan xerrac). However, the perfect phonetic identity between the Arabic and Maltese forms makes inheritance likely. If so, the word must have entered Arabic fairly early on.


serrieq

mt-noun

serrieq m (plural serrieqa or serriqin, feminine serrieqa)

serrieqa (plural)
serriqin (plural)
serrieqa (feminine)


ħażen

From Arabic حُزْن (ḥuzn). For the semantics compare ħażin.


gaġġa

Borrowed from Sicilian gaggia, from Latin cavea.


gaġeġ

/ˈɡa.d͡ʒɛt͡ʃ/


abbiltà

abbiltajiet (plural)
abilità (alternative)


ġibs

ġibsa (singulative)
ġbus (plural)
ġibsiet (paucal)


ġifa

(figuratively) abject, lacking personality; coward

(figuratively) spiritless, unenergetic person


tgħam

any type of cereal (such as wheat, rice or oats)


isqfija

From Arabic أُسْقُفِيَّة (ʔusqufiyya). By surface analysis, isqof + -ija.

inh

أُسْقُفِيَّة


stennija

stennijiet (plural)
istennija (alternative)

verbal noun of stenna:
expectation, anticipation


oċeanografu

mt-noun

oċeanografu m (plural oċeanografi, feminine oċeanografa)

oċeanografi (plural)
oċeanografa (feminine)


ġlata

ġlajjet (plural)
ġlatiet (plural)
ġlat (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian gelata, from Latin gelatus (“frozen”).


taħħan

taħħan m (plural taħħana, feminine taħħana)

inh

Arabic طَحَّان (ṭaḥḥān)


taħna

From Arabic طَحْنَة (ṭaḥna), instance noun of طَحْن (ṭaḥn).


tajfa

mt-noun

tajfa f (dual tajftejn, plural tajfiet or twajjef)

tajftejn (dual)
tajfiet (plural)
twajjef (plural)

inh

Arabic طَائِفَة (ṭāʔifa)


feġġ

Probably from Arabic فَجَأَ (fajaʔa, “to appear suddenly”). The phonetic form is slightly irregular (as one would expect *feġa) however its possible it was influenced by the event noun feġġ formed from the instance noun feġġa from Arabic فَجْأة (fajʔa).
Alternatively perhaps from فَجَّ (fajja) with the original meaning “to cleave, open”, which makes sense for example when feġġ is used of blood or tears that erupt from the body. Compare also English break out (“to emerge suddenly”), German anbrechen (“to begin”), etc.

m+

verbal noun of feġġ: appearance, appearing, especially when sudden or brief


oġġezzjoni

oġġezzjonijiet (plural)
obbjezzjoni (alternative)
objezzjoni (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian oggezzioni. Compare also Italian obiezione and its literary form oggezione.


ħabba

ħabbtejn (dual)
ħbub (plural)
ħabbiet (paucal)


ħabba

U waqt li nħares fuq ta’ qalbi x-xitla
tat-tifkiriet tinbet tifkira ġdida,
b’warda ta’ swied il-qalb fejn tilma demgħa
minn ħbub għajnejja.

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Fuq Qabar Oħti”, in Fanali bil-Lejl:


eżistenza

Borrowed from Italian esistenza, from Latin existentia.


eżistenzjalista

mt-noun

eżistenzjalista m or f by sense (plural eżistenzjalisti)


eżistenzjaliżmu

Borrowed from Italian esistenzialismo, from French existentialisme.


qorbien

From Arabic قُرْبَان (qurbān). Hence related to qorob.

(Christianity) Eucharist, Holy Communion


qartas

From Arabic قِرْطَاس (qirṭās), قُرْطَاس (qurṭās, “paper”), from Ancient Greek χάρτης (khártēs). Doublet of karta (“paper in general, writing paper”).

doublet

a paper wrapping for groceries, e.g. in the form of a cornet


sabbara

mt-noun

sabbara f (plural sabbariet or sabbarat)

sabbariet (plural)
sabbarat (plural)
żabbara (alternative)


sejba

sejbiet (plural)
sibja (alternative)
sjieba (alternative)


qarnit

qarnita (singulative)
qarnitiet (paucal)


għażż

From Arabic عَجْز (ʕajz). The sense “laziness” is also found in several dialects. Compare further għaks (“destitution, famine”), which might be a doublet of this (with dissimilation, rather than assimilation as in għażż).


għorfa

għorfa f (plural għorof, paucal għorfiet, diminutive għarajfa)

għorof (plural)
għorfiet (paucal)
għarajfa (diminutive)


qamħirrun

qamħirruna (singulative)
qamħirruniet (paucal)


qarabagħli

qarabagħlija (singulative)
qarabagħliet (paucal)

Univerbation of qara’ (“gourd”) + bagħli (“unirrigated”).

univerbation

marrow, courgette/zucchini (kind of vegetable)


tixwix

inh

Arabic تَشْوِيش (tašwīš)


ħuġġieġa

mt-noun

ħuġġieġa f (plural ħġejjeġ, paucal ħuġġieġiet)

/ħudˈd͡ʒɪː.d͡ʒa/


għerusija

għerusija f (plural għerusiji or għerusijiet)

Derived from għarus, from Arabic عَرُوس (ʕarūs), with the common measure for abstract nouns.


riegnu

Borrowed from Sicilian rìganu, from Latin origanum.


sfarġel

sfarġla (singulative)
sfarġliet (paucal)


rħam

rħama (singulative)
rħamiet (paucal)
irħam (alternative also)


siegħ

From Arabic صَاع (ṣāʕ). As usual, the emphatic ṣ- was dissimilated against the final pharyngeal.

(historical units of measurement) a unit of dry volume, equivalent to 6 kejla, that is officially 111 imperial cubic inches (1.818 L).

Anqas ma jixegħlu l-musbieħ u jqegħduh taħt is-siegħ, iżda fuq l-imnara, u hekk idawwal lil kull min ikun fid-dar.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 5:15:

King James Version translation: Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shines unto all that are in the house.

(also biblical) a vessel of such measure, a bushel

(historical units of measurement) a unit of surface area, equivalent to 10 kejla, that is officially 224.1 imperial square yards (187.4 m2).


ħmar il-lejl

ħmar il-lejl m (plural ħmar il-lejlijiet)

Literally, “night donkey”. Compare Moroccan Arabic حمار الليل (ḥmār el-līl / layl).

cog

a frightening experience during sleep
(now especially) nightmare

a frightening experience during sleep
nightmare

a frightening experience during sleep
sleepwalking, somnambulism

a frightening experience during sleep
sleep paralysis


ħmerija

From ħmar (“ass, donkey; jackass”) + -ija, equivalent to Arabic حِمارِيّة (ḥimāriyya), which is occasionally found in the same sense. Uncertain whether inherited or independent, though the -e- (vis-à-vis the -a- in ħmar) shows that the formation goes back at least to a time when imala was still active.


ħajjat

mt-noun

ħajjat m (plural ħajjatin or ħajjata, feminine ħajjata)

ħajjatin (plural)
ħajjata (plural)
ħajjata (feminine)


ħjata

inh

Arabic خِيَاطَة (ḵiyāṭa)


ħarrub

ħarruba (singulative)
ħarrubiet (paucal)

Ceratonia siliqua
Ceratonia siliqua#Translingual

carob (fruit and tree of Ceratonia siliqua L.)


frugħa

Extended form of frugħ, from Arabic فُرُوغ (furūḡ).

il-frugħa ta’ din id-dinja


raqba

rqabi (plural)
raqbiet (paucal)
roqba (alternative)


raxx

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:


kemxa

From Arabic كَمْشة (kamša, “a handful”).

an amount of some size (reasonable to large), chiefly of money


kejl

a measure (scale or standard to measure by)


ħuxlief

ħuxliefa (singulative)
ħxielef (plural)
ħuxlifiet (paucal)

From dialectal Arabic; compare Tunisian Arabic حشلاف (ḥušlāf, “hay, dried-out grass or plant”). Further origin uncertain, though Berber origin has been suggested.


rabta

From Arabic رَبْطة (rabṭa) and/or رابِطة (rābiṭa), which would probably have merged in Maltese.


qedem

From Arabic قِدْم (qidm), قِدَم (qidam).


ġewlaq

mt-noun

ġewlaq m (plural ġwielaq, diminutive ġwejlaq)

From Arabic جَوْلَق (jawlaq, “kind of sack or bag”), alteration of جُوَالَق (juwālaq), from Middle Persian [Term?] (/guwālak/).

inh

a wicker basket, typically with a handle


liżar

mt-noun

liżar m (plural lożor, diminutive lwajżar or lżajjar)

lożor (plural)
lwajżar (diminutive)
lżajjar (diminutive)
lużar (alternative dialectal)

From Arabic إِزَار (ʔizār) with fused definite article.


tislija

Verbal noun of sella, which see for more. Perhaps in part directly from Arabic تَسْلِية (tasliya).


ħsara

U tela’ għas-sur, wisq imgħaddab,
u kaxkar kull xitla, kull żrara,
u l-bejta dlonk ħataf, ġarr miegħu
bl-għasafar, jaħasra xi ħsara!

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Bejta fis-Sur”, in Mill-Gallerija ta’ Żgħożiti:


mgħax

mgħaxijiet (plural)
imgħax (alternative)

From Arabic مَعَاش (maʕāš, “pension, livelihood, pay”).


għatba

mt-noun

għatba f (plural għetiebi, paucal għatbiet)

Missieri kien niżel jiġri isfel, ħareġ fuq l-għatba u beda jsejjaħ lill-pulizija biex iwissihom b’dan il-periklu.

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


lsir

lsir m (plural lsiera or josra, feminine lsira, diminutive lsajjar)

lsiera (plural)
josra (plural)
lsira (feminine)
lsajjar (diminutive)
rsir (alternative)
ilsir (alternative also)

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

(especially) a captive, one who has been captured and enslaved


wirdien

wirdiena (singulative)
urieden (plural)
wirdiniet (paucal)
werdien (alternative)

From Arabic بِنْت وَرْدَان (bint wardān).

inh

بِنْت وَرْدَان


ħatem

mt-noun

ħatem m (plural ħwietem, diminutive ħwajtem or ħwejtem)

ħwietem (plural)
ħwajtem (diminutive)
ħwejtem (diminutive)

(archaic) ring (piece of jewellery in general)


qolla

qolla f (plural qliel or qolol, paucal qolliet)

qliel (plural)
qolol (plural)
qolliet (paucal)

From Arabic قُلَّة (qulla). Similarity with Italian olla (“earthen jar”) is coincidental.

(also qolla tan-naħal) such a jar used as a beehive, or, by extension, any beehive

(in the plural) a large quantity, chiefly of rain


ġarra

ġarra f (plural ġarar, diminutive ġrajra)

From Arabic جَرَّة (jarra). Cognate with Sicilian giarra.


buqar

buqari (plural)
buqal (alternative)
boqal (alternative)
buqqar (alternative)

Equivalent to Maghrebi Arabic بُوقال (būqāl), Sicilian bucali, Ancient Greek βαύκαλις (baúkalis), a wanderwort that seems to have been borrowed back and forth throughout the Mediterranean, though it is eventually thought to be of North African origin. The Maltese plural proves Sicilian influence, but the word as such may well have been inherited from Arabic. Compare Moroccan Arabic بوقال (būqāl).

Għamara bl-injam ħadmu,
bil-ward żewqu l-ħitan;
buqar tahom il-ġilju,
u kikkri t-tulipan.

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Id-Dar tan-Ninfi”, in Fl-Arena:


ħwar

ħwara (singulative)
ħwawar (plural)
ħwarat (paucal)

From Arabic حُوَّارَى (ḥuwwārā). Compare regional Tunisian Arabic حوارات (ḥwārāt).

inh

Arabic حُوَّارَى (ḥuwwārā)


saqqu

Borrowed from Sicilian saccu (“sack”), from Latin saccus, from Ancient Greek σάκκος (sákkos), from a language of the Ancient Near East. The Maltese sense from the use of straw-filled sacks as mattresses.


xkora

mt-noun

xkora f (dual xkertejn, plural xkejjer, diminutive xkejra or xkajra)

xkertejn (dual)
xkejjer (plural)
xkejra (diminutive)
xkajra (diminutive)
ixkora (alternative)

From Arabic شِكَارَة (šikāra). The Maltese -o- is unusual.


satal

satal m (plural stal or stali or stul or istla, paucal satliet, diminutive stajjel)

stal (plural)
stali (plural)
stul (plural)
istla (plural)
satliet (paucal)
stajjel (diminutive)

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:


kburija

kburiti (first-person singular)
kburitna (first-person singular)
kburitek (second-person singular)
kburitkom (second-person singular)
kburitu (masculine singular third-person)
kburitha (feminine singular third-person)
kburithom (singular third-person)

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.


zunnarija

zunnarija f (plural zunnariji, paucal zunnarijiet)

zunnariji (plural)
zunnarijiet (paucal)
sfinnarija (alternative)
sfunnarija (alternative)
żfunnarija (alternative)
sfonnarija (alternative)

Inherited from Maghrebi Arabic اِسْفَنَّرِيّة (isfannariyya), from Arabic إِسْفَنَارِيَّة (ʔisfanāriyya), from Ancient Greek σταφυλίνη ἀγρία (staphulínē agría, “wild carrot”). Cognate to Libyan Arabic سفنّاريّة (sfənnāriyya) and several Iberian languages; see Spanish zanahoria.

inh

إِسْفَنَارِيَّة

der

σταφυλίνη ἀγρία


kuntratt

Borrowed from Sicilian cuntrattu, from Latin contractus.


lajku

Borrowed from Sicilian laicu and/or Italian laico, both from Latin laicus, from Ancient Greek λαϊκός (laïkós).

(religion) layman (one who is not ordained)


saċerdot

Borrowed from Italian sacerdote, from Latin sacerdos.


kewn

X’inhu l-għan ta’ kewn il-bniedem?

(philosophy) existence, being (the state or fact of existing)


baġit

baġits (plural)
budget (alternative)
baġet (alternative)


ħabbar

mt-noun

ħabbar m (plural ħabbara or ħabbarin, feminine ħabbara)

ħabbara (plural)
ħabbarin (plural)
ħabbara (feminine)

Agent noun of ħabar, from Arabic أَخْبَرَ (ʔaḵbara).