dejr

From Arabic دَيْر (dayr, “convent, monastery”), from Classical Syriac ܕܝܪܐ (dayrā). The meaning “castle, fortress” perhaps influenced by the militant Order of Malta. The knowledge about the word’s origins seems to have been lost rather early, as Vassalli already treats the sense “convent” as secondary and thinks that the basic meaning is “large house” (it being merely a variant of dar).

inh

(archaic, chiefly in placenames) a castle, fortress

(obsolete, found in placenames) a convent, monastery


diqa

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

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

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

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


djuqija

djuqiti (first-person singular)
djuqitna (first-person singular)
djuqitek (second-person singular)
djuqitkom (second-person singular)
djuqitu (masculine singular third-person)
djuqitha (feminine singular third-person)
djuqithom (singular third-person)


soċjalizzazzjoni

mt-noun

soċjalizzazzjoni f (plural soċjalizzazzjonijiet)


kunvent

Borrowed from Sicilian cunventu, from Latin conventus.


kżar

kżar m (plural kżarijiet, feminine kżarina)

Apparently a spelling pronunciation of English (and older Italian) czar.


nagħal

nagħla (singulative)
ngħula (plural)
ingħla (plural)
nagħliet (paucal)


spapen

plural of sapun: different kinds of soap


fondoq

From Arabic فُنْدُق (funduq), from Ancient Greek πανδοκεῖον (pandokeîon).


fondoq

Apparently influenced by etymology 1, though the reason seems obscure. Neither is there an apparent semantic relation, nor does ħ commonly alternate with f in Maltese.

Alternative form of ħandaq, ħondoq (“dip, ditch, chasm”)


ħandaq

ħniedaq (plural)
ħondoq (alternative)
fondoq (alternative)

a depression in the ground
ditch, trench


ħondoq

Alternative form of ħandaq, fondoq (“dip, ditch, chasm”)


mużew

mużew m (plural mużewijiet or mużewjiet or mużewiet or mużejiet or mużej)

mużewijiet (plural)
mużewjiet (plural)
mużewiet (plural)
mużejiet (plural)
mużej (plural)

Borrowed from Italian museo, from Latin museum, from Ancient Greek Μουσεῖον (Mouseîon).


xhud

From Arabic شُهُود (šuhūd), plural of شاهِد (šāhid), whence the alternative form above. The new plural xhieda on the model of such forms as bdiewa, Nsara.


kitf

kitfejn (dual)
kotof (plural)
kitfi (first-person singular)
kitfna (first-person singular)
kitfek (second-person singular)
kitfkom (second-person singular)
kitfu (masculine singular third-person)
kitfha (feminine singular third-person)
kitfhom (singular third-person)


minkeb

minkeb m (dual minkbejn or mnikbejn, plural (unusual) mniekeb)

minkbejn (dual)
mnikbejn (dual)
mniekeb (plural)
minkbi (first-person singular)
minkibna (first-person singular)
minkbek (second-person singular)
minkibkom (second-person singular)
minkbu (masculine singular third-person)
minkibha (feminine singular third-person)
minkibhom (singular third-person)

Titbiegħed ftit minni u titfa’ minkbejk fuq irkopptejk, bit-tazza bejn il-pali ta’ jdejk.

2023, Nathan Anthony Pace, “Linja f’Laħmek”, in Glen Calleja, Clare Azzopardi, editors, Iż-Żmien Kurjuż taż-Żgħożija [The Curious Period of Youth], →ISBN, page 130:

You move a bit farther from me and put your elbows on your knees, with the cup between the palms of your hands.


għarqub

għarqub m (dual għarqbejn, plural għerieqeb)


zukkini

żukkini (alternative)
żukini (alternative)


minfes

minfes m (dual mnifsejn, plural mnifsejn or (unusual) mniefes)

mnifsejn (dual)
mnifsejn (plural)
mniefes (plural)
minfsi (first-person singular)
minfisna (first-person singular)
minfsek (second-person singular)
minfiskom (second-person singular)
minfsu (masculine singular third-person)
minfisha (feminine singular third-person)
minfishom (singular third-person)


żnuber

From Arabic صَنَوْبَر (ṣanawbar, “pine”) with sporadic voicing of the onset.


arżnu

Borrowed from Sicilian arzanu, from Arabic أَرْز (ʔarz).


żina

From Arabic زِنَى (zinā). Predominantly feminised because of the final -a, though the original masculine is still found.

fornication, adultery, or any sexual sin


żina

embellishment, decoration, luxurious beauty


naqqax

naqqax m (plural naqqaxa, feminine naqqaxa)


għassies

għassies m (plural għassiesa, feminine għassiesa)

Occupational noun from Arabic عَسَّاس (ʕassās).


ħabsi

ħabsi m (plural ħabsin, feminine ħabsija)

prisoner (one who has been sent to prison)


priġunier

priġunier m (plural priġunieri or priġuniera, feminine priġuniera)

priġunieri (plural)
priġuniera (plural)
priġuniera (feminine)

prisoner
one who has been sent to prison or jail

one who has been otherwise imprisoned, e.g. a prisoner of war


faċilità korrettiva

faċilità korrettiva f (plural faċilitajiet korrettivi)

faċilitajiet korrettivi (plural)
faċiltà korrettiva (alternative)

correctional facility
correctional facility

(officialese) prison, correctional facility


brunġiel

brunġiela (singulative)
brunġiliet (paucal)
brinġiel (alternative)

Etymology tree
Proto-Dravidian *waẓVtVder.
Sanskrit वातिङ्गण (vātiṅgaṇa)bor.
Classical Persian بَاذِنْگَان (bāzingān)bor.
Arabic بَاذِنْجَان (bāḏinjān)
Maltese brunġiel
From Arabic بَاذِنْجَان (bāḏinjān). The word shows a great variety of phonetic alterations among Arabic dialects. The same form as in Maltese appears to underly in Portuguese beringela.

inh

Arabic بَاذِنْجَان (bāḏinjān)


mħallef

mt-noun

mħallef m (plural mħallfin, feminine mħallfa)

mħallfin (plural)
mħallfa (feminine)
imħallef (alternative also)

From Arabic مُحَلَّف (muḥallaf, “juror, one who has been sworn in”). The verb ħallef (“put under oath”) is now archaic. With respect to the underlying semantics a doublet of ġurat (“juror”).


bitħa

mt-noun

bitħa f (plural btieħi, diminutive btejħa)

From Arabic بَطْحَاء (baṭḥāʔ). As usually in Maltese, the emphatic -ṭ- was made plain early on by dissimilation against the -ḥ- (otherwise we would expect *batħa). Compare Tunisian Arabic بَطْحَة.

inh

Arabic بَطْحَاء (baṭḥāʔ)


ħofra

mt-noun

ħofra f (dual ħofortejn, plural ħofor or ħfar, paucal ħofriet)

ħofortejn (dual)
ħofor (plural)
ħfar (plural)
ħofriet (paucal)
ħoforti (first-person singular)
ħofortna (first-person singular)
ħofortek (second-person singular)
ħofortkom (second-person singular)
ħofortu (masculine singular third-person)
ħofortha (feminine singular third-person)
ħoforthom (singular third-person)


dielja

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!


vojt

From older Italian voito, variant of vuoto.

void, emptiness, a state of being deserted


żinżel

żinżla (singulative)
żnieżel (plural)
żinżliet (paucal)


ħasira

ħasira f (plural ħsajjar or ħasiri, diminutive ħsajra)

ħsajjar (plural)
ħasiri (plural)
ħsajra (diminutive)

inh

Arabic حَصِيرَة (ḥaṣīra)

a blind, sunblind (used in Malta on windows as well as doors)


newwieħ

mt-noun

newwieħ m (plural newwieħa or newwiħin, feminine newwieħa)

newwieħa (plural)
newwiħin (plural)
newwieħa (feminine)


xuxa

inh

Arabic شُوشَة (šūša)

Sar il-ħin biex jaqta’ dik ix-xuxa tiegħu.

the hair of the head, especially when long


ħin

mt-noun

ħin m (plural ħinijiet or (obsolete) ħjien)

ħinijiet (plural)
ħjien (obsolete plural)

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:


ħaddar

ħaddar m (plural ħaddara, feminine ħaddara)

Agent noun of archaic ħadar (“to be present”), from Arabic حَضَرَ (ḥaḍara).


ħuttab

ħuttab m (plural ħuttaba, feminine ħuttaba)

Singularisation of Arabic خُطّاب (ḵuṭṭāb), plural of خاطِب (ḵāṭib).

inh

Arabic خُطّاب (ḵuṭṭāb)

(chiefly historical) a matchmaker (professional marriage broker)


ħotba

From Arabic خِطْبة (ḵiṭba, “engagement”).

(chiefly historical) matchmaking (the work of a matchmaker; the process of arranging a marriage)


ħasra

Ja ħasra!

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:

shame, pity; as in “it’s a shame/pity that...”


kagħak

From Arabic كَعْك (kaʕk). The similarity with English cake is coincidental (or if anything due to highly remote relation).

a traditional kind of sweet pastry, usually ring-shaped


karmus

From Maghrebi Arabic, from كَرْم (karm, “orchard”). Compare Tunisian Arabic كرموس (karmūs)، Moroccan Arabic كرموس (karmūs).


ħadida tal-mogħdija

mt-noun

ħadida tal-mogħdija f (plural ħdejjed tal-mogħdija)


ħellies

ħellies m (plural ħellisin, feminine ħelliesa)


tqala

From Arabic ثَقالة (ṯaqāla, “heaviness”), compare English gravidity.


ħlewwa

Għal dan l-aħħar kliem tiegħi Nina tefgħet fuqi ħarsa mimlija ħlewwa.

2018 [1977], Alfred Massa, L-Istar tal-Imgħoddi, 2nd edition, Horizons, page 80:

sweetness, beauty, fun (quality of being pleasant)


kobba

a ball of wool (other other thread-like material)


msella

msella f (plural mselel, paucal mselliet)

mselel (plural)
mselliet (paucal)
imsella (alternative also)


tagħrib

Probably inherited from Arabic تَعْرِيب (taʕrīb), though it might have been re-formed independently at some point; compare how Arabic itself freely builds تَتْرِيك (tatrīk, “turkification”), تَرْوِيس (tarwīs, “russification”), etc. The use in linguistics is a recent semantic loan from Arabic. Otherwise, derived verbal noun of għarrab.

(especially linguistics) the adaptation of a loanword to the phonetic and morphologic system of Arabic or one of its descendants such as Maltese.


koppja

Borrowed from Italian coppia, from Latin copula.


tikmix

tikmixa (singulative)
tikmixiet (paucal)

From Arabic. The root ك م ش (k m š) has several words to do with shrinking.

ar-root

ك م ش (k m š)

Tikmixa ma tbeżżagħnix, tikmixa ma ddejjaqnix.
 Hi frott l-imħabba, hi frott l-imgħoddi.
 Fiha hemm mistura ħajja, fiha hemm nifs l-għajxien.

2015, “Tikmixa”performed by Sidney Rose Henwood:

A wrinkle doesn't scare me, a wrinkle doesn't depress me.
 It's the fruit of love, it's the fruit of the past.
 In it life is hidden, in it there's the breath of living.


kemmun ħelu

From Arabic كَمُّون حُلْو (kammūn ḥulw). kemmun + ħelu.

inh

كَمُّون حُلْو


bennej

mt-noun

bennej m (plural bennejja, feminine bennejja)

Occupational noun from Arabic بَنَّاء (bannāʔ).


żenqa

żenqa f (plural żenaq, paucal żenqiet, diminutive żnejqa)

żenaq (plural)
żenqiet (paucal)
żnejqa (diminutive)
żanqa (alternative)

a narrow path, especially a minor country lane


dnewwa

bid-dnewwa

bis-sewwa jew bid-dnewwa

force used against someone; violence; sanction


ġidri r-riħ

/ˌd͡ʒɪd.rɪ‿rˈrɪːħ/


jedd

From Arabic يَد (yad, “authority”, literally “hand”). Compare Latin manus, which may have influenced the semantic development. Doublet of id (“hand”), which continues the common dialectal Arabic form, while jedd was a more formal word that appeared in the classical shape.


ġir

ġira (singulative)
ġjar (plural)
ġiriet (paucal)


żonqor

Probably related to Arabic صَقَرَ (ṣaqara).

qalb taż-żonqor ― hard-hearted

ras taż-żonqor

iebes daqs iż-żonqor


qanneb

From Arabic قِنَّب (qinnab), from a wanderwort related with Ancient Greek κάνναβις (kánnabis) as well as English hemp.


xoqqa

mt-noun

xoqqa f (plural xoqoq or xqajjaq, diminutive xqajqa)

xoqoq (plural)
xqajjaq (plural)
xqajqa (diminutive)
xaqqa (alternative)


Magħreb

Fit-talba tal-Misilmin, il-ħin tal-magħreb huwa wara l-ħin tal-għasar, wara li nżul ix-xemx.

In the prayer of the Muslims, the time of maghrib is after the time of asar, that is after sunset.

(Islam) maghrib, the sunset time of the Islamic prayer


grigal

Borrowed from Sicilian [Term?], from Latin graecalis, from graecus, thus “the direction of Greece”.


lbiċ

Borrowed from Sicilian libiciu, itself probably from Arabic رِيح لَبَاج / لَبَاش (rīḥ labāj / labāš), from Ancient Greek λίψ (líps).

der

رِيح لَبَاج / لَبَاش


majjistral

Borrowed from Sicilian maistral, from Latin magistralis.


qadd

mt-noun

qadd m (dual qaddejn, plural qdud, paucal qaddijiet)

qaddejn (dual)
qdud (plural)
qaddijiet (paucal)
qaddi (first-person singular)
qaddna (first-person singular)
qaddek (second-person singular)
qaddkom (second-person singular)
qaddu (masculine singular third-person)
qaddha (feminine singular third-person)
qaddhom (singular third-person)


qaddief

qaddief m (plural qaddiefa, feminine qaddiefa)

Hekk kif ittellgħu l-poloz għar-Regatta ta’ Jum il-Vitorja, 7 distretti magħmula minn 120 qaddief se jkunu qed jagħtu spettaklu li eluf ikunu qed jistennew kull sena biex igawdu f’dik il-ġurnata mistrieħ li tfakkar ir-rebħa tal-Maltin fl-Assedju l-Kbir.

2017 September 7, Matthew Borg, Newsbook, archived from the original on 2020-12-12:


tagħlim

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

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

verbal noun of għallem
the act of teaching

verbal noun of għallem
a teaching, doctrine


tagħlima

singulative of tagħlim: an instance or section of teaching, something taught and/or learnt; a lesson (but not as a period of time)


għelm

From Arabic عَلَم (ʕalam), perhaps influenced by etymology 2, as one would expect *għalm or *għalem.


għalliem

għalliem m (plural għalliema, feminine għalliema)


leġista

leġista m or f by sense (plural leġisti)


liġi

Borrowed from Sicilian ligi, older variant of liggi, from Latin lex.


edukatur

edukatur m (plural edukaturi, feminine edukatura or edukatriċi)

edukaturi (plural)
edukatura (feminine)
edukatriċi (feminine)


nazzjonalizzazzjoni

nazzjonalizzazzjoni f (plural nazzjonalizzazzjonijiet)

Borrowed from Italian nazionalizzazione.


nazzjonalità

nazzjonalità f (plural nazzjonalitajiet)


neputi

neputi m (plural neputijiet, feminine neputija)

neputijiet (plural)
neputija (feminine)
nepputi (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian niputi, from Latin nepōs.


nidma

verbal noun of nidem: repentance, remorse


bħur

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


inċens

Borrowed from Italian incenso, from Latin incensus.


sehwa

mt-noun

sehwa f (plural sehwiet, diminutive shejwa)


qattiel

qattiel m (plural qattiela or qattelin, feminine qattiela)

qattiela (plural)
qattelin (plural)
qattiela (feminine)


werrej

werrej m (plural werrejja, feminine werrejja)


mintna

mintna f (plural mnieten, paucal mintniet)


keffien

keffien m (plural keffiena, feminine keffiena)

one who wraps the corpse with a shroud for burial


għejbien

verbal noun of għeb: act of disappearing


għabra

għabra f (plural għabajjar, paucal għabriet)


għawwiem

għawwiem m (plural għawwiema, feminine għawwiema)

Occupational noun from Arabic عَوَّام (ʕawwām).


ħurtan

ħurtana (singulative)
ħurtaniet (paucal)


għelt

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!


xejra

Probably from the Arabic root ش و ر (š w r), which is related to “guiding, consulting” and “going, faring”. Perhaps verbal noun of the obsolete verb mentioned at xejjer and thus originally "indication".

ar-root

ش و ر (š w r)


raddiena

mt-noun

raddiena f (plural rdieden or rdejjen, diminutive rdajdna or rdejdna)

rdieden (plural)
rdejjen (plural)
rdajdna (diminutive)
rdejdna (diminutive)

any wheel that does not move forward, especially


żball

żball m (plural żbalji or (rare) żballi)

żbalji (plural)
żballi (plural rare)
iżball (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian sbagliu and/or Italian sbaglio.

bla żball

bi żball

fi żball


maxtura

Borrowed from Sicilian mangiatura (“trough”).

bor+

crib, manger (vessel for hay and the like)


eqqel

From underlying *eqlel, comparative (or elative) of archaic qlil (“ferocious”), itself probably from a merger of Arabic غَلِيل (ḡalīl) and قَلِيل (qalīl). For the development compare qilla.

l-eqqel tas-sħana

fl-eqqel tax-xitwa

height, the worst or severest period (of something)


tehdid

verbal noun of hedded
the act of threatening


theddid

verbal noun of thedded: act of being threatened


reqq

verbal noun of reqq: weight loss, thinning


gidba

Emmint kull gidba li qaltli.

singulative of gideb: a lie (an untruth or instance of lying)


giddieb

mt-noun

giddieb m (plural giddieba or giddibin, feminine giddieba)

giddieba (plural)
giddibin (plural)
giddieba (feminine)


glukows

(biochemistry) Alternative form of glukożju: glucose


qarrej

qarrej m (plural qarrejja, feminine qarrejja)

qarrejja (plural)
qarrejja (feminine)
qarraj (alternative)


miżirgħa

From Arabic مَزْرَعَة (mazraʕa, “farm”).


ħaġiet

paucal of ħaġa: 2 to 10 things, a few things


taraġ

tarġa (singulative)
turġien (plural)
truġ (plural)
tarġiet (paucal)

From Arabic دَرَج (daraj), plural of دَرَجة (daraja), whence the Maltese singulative. The t- is by dissimilation against the -ġ- (as in tiġieġ).

(agriculture) terrace(s) (bank of earth on a hill)


qrubija

qrubijiet (plural)
qrubiti (first-person singular)
qrubitna (first-person singular)
qrubitek (second-person singular)
qrubitkom (second-person singular)
qrubitu (masculine singular third-person)
qrubitha (feminine singular third-person)
qrubithom (singular third-person)

relationship, kinship, parentage, affinity


bumellies

bumellies m (plural bumelliesa, feminine bumelliesa)

bumelliesa (plural)
bumelliesa (feminine)


bunittien

bunittiena (singulative)
bunittiena (plural)

Hydrobates pelagicus
Hydrobates pelagicus#Translingual


buqarrieq

buqarrieq m (plural buqarrieqa, feminine buqarrieqa)

buqarrieqa (plural)
buqarrieqa (feminine)


nemmiela

nemmieli (plural)
nemmelija (alternative)


baħħar

baħħar m (plural baħħara, feminine baħħara)

Occupational noun from Arabic بَحَّار (baḥḥār).


bajjad

bajjad m (plural bajjada, feminine bajjada)

Occupational noun from Arabic بَيَّاض (bayyāḍ).


lexxun

Borrowed from Sicilian asciuni with a fused definite article.


lexxuna

lexxuniet (plural)
laxxuna (alternative)


miġbħa

miġbħa f (plural mġiebaħ, paucal miġbħiet)


żegħil

verbal noun of żiegħel
caressing, pampering

verbal noun of żiegħel
flattery, coaxing


spraġ

spraġa (singulative)
spraġiet (paucal)
ispraġ (alternative)

In all likelihood from Arabic أَسْفَراج (ʔasfarāj), from Ancient Greek ἀσπάραγος (aspáragos). While the Maltese -p- may be due to influence by cognate Sicilian spàraciu, the -ra- strongly points to inheritance.


naqra

naqriet (plural)
nqaqar (plural)
naqa (alternative colloquial)

From Arabic نَقْرة (naqra, “(not) anything”, in negation, literally “(not even) a snap of the fingers”).


serħan

From the root, itself a backformation from strieħ, which see.


mehrież

mt-noun

mehrież m (plural mhiereż, diminutive mhejreż)


mterqa

mterqa f (plural mtieraq, paucal mterqiet)


ravjul

ravjula (singulative)
ravjuliet (paucal)


rebbieħ

rebbieħ m (plural rebbieħa, feminine rebbieħa)

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:


ħmurija

ħmuriti (first-person singular)
ħmuritna (first-person singular)
ħmuritek (second-person singular)
ħmuritkom (second-person singular)
ħmuritu (masculine singular third-person)
ħmuritha (feminine singular third-person)
ħmurithom (singular third-person)


ġulġlien

ġulġliena (singulative)
ġulġliniet (paucal)
ġunġlien (alternative)
ġilġlien (alternative)
ġinġlien (alternative)
ġolġlien (alternative)
ġonġlien (alternative)


ġunġlien

ġunġliena (singulative)
ġunġliniet (paucal)


ġerħa

ġerħa f (dual ġerħtejn, plural ġerħat or ġrieħi)

ġerħtejn (dual)
ġerħat (plural)
ġrieħi (plural)


abbrevjazzjoni

abbrevjazzjoni f (plural abbrevjazzjonijiet)


rożinjol

rożinjoli (plural)
rużinjol (alternative)


bqajla

From Arabic, from the root ب ق ل (b q l). Related to بَقْل (baql, “vegetables, green plants, herbs”). Compare Moroccan Arabic بقولة (baqqūla, “spinach”), Andalusian Arabic رييس البقول (rayīs el-buqūl, “spinach”).


għaddas

mt-noun

għaddas m (plural għaddasa, feminine għaddasa)

inh

Arabic غَطَّاس (ḡaṭṭās)


borma

mt-noun

borma f (plural borom or brajjem, diminutive brajma or brejma)

borom (plural)
brajjem (plural)
brajma (diminutive)
brejma (diminutive)


borġ

borġ m (plural braġ or bruġ, diminutive brajjeġ)

braġ (plural)
bruġ (plural)
brajjeġ (diminutive)

From Arabic بُرْج (burj), from Ancient Greek πύργος (púrgos).


budebbus

budebbusa (singulative)
budebbusiet (paucal)

bu + debbus. Compare Tunisian Arabic بودبّوس (“broomrape”)


ħanfus

ħanfusa (singulative)
ħniefes (plural)
ħanfusiet (paucal)

From Arabic خُنْفُس (ḵunfus). Compare Moroccan Arabic خنفوس (ḵanfūs).


bukħajla

spectacled warbler (Sylvia conspicillata, Curruca conspicillata, Melizophilus conspicillatus)


kaħħal

kaħħal m (plural kaħħalin, feminine kaħħala)


giddiem

giddiem m (plural giddiema, feminine giddiema)


debitur

debitur m (plural debituri, feminine debitura)


bomblu

bomblu m (plural bombli, diminutive bombla)


namrat

namrat m (plural namrati, feminine namrata)


rġulija

rġuliti (first-person singular)
rġulitna (first-person singular)
rġulitek (second-person singular)
rġulitkom (second-person singular)
rġulitu (masculine singular third-person)
rġulitha (feminine singular third-person)
rġulithom (singular third-person)


ħeffa

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

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


filosfu

Borrowed from Sicilian filòsufu and/or Italian filosofo, from Latin philosophus, from Ancient Greek φιλόσοφος (philósophos).

Sokrate huwa meqjus wieħed mill-akbar filosfi ta’ kull żmien.

Socrates is considered one of the greatest philosophers of all time.


filosfija

filosfija f (plural filosfiji or filosfijiet)


ħakkiem

ħakkiem m (plural ħakkiema, feminine ħakkiema)


nħawi

With metathesis from Arabic نَوَاحِي (nawāḥī), plural of نَاحِيَة (nāḥiya), whence Maltese naħa.

inh

Arabic نَوَاحِي (nawāḥī)

areas; surroundings (of a city); parts (of a region)


midra

From Arabic مِذْرَاة (miḏrāh), مِذْرَى (miḏrā).

Il-midra qiegħda f’idu, biex iderri l-qiegħa tiegħu u jiġbor il-qamħ fil-maħżen, imma t-tiben jaħarqu b’nar li ma jintefiex.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 3:12:

King James Version translation: His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.


qiegħa

mt-noun

qiegħa f (plural qwiegħi or qigħat or qigħan)

qwiegħi (plural)
qigħat (plural)
qigħan (plural)

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

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


riefnu

Borrowed from Sicilian rèfulu, rùfulu (“a kind of coastal storm”). Compare Italian refolo.

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:


roqgħa

roqgħa f (plural rqajja’ or rqiegħi, diminutive rqajgħa)

rqajja’ (plural)
rqiegħi (plural)
rqajgħa (diminutive)

Ħadd ma jraqqa’ libsa qadima b’biċċa drapp ġdida, għax inkella r-roqgħa ssellet il-libsa, u t-tiċrita tikber.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 9:16:

New International Version translation: No one puts a piece of new cloth on an old garment, for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.


kusksu

From Arabic كُسْكُس (kuskus), also كُسْكُسُو (kuskusū).

small balls of dough, used as a solid in soups


tengħud

tengħuda (singulative)
tengħudiet (paucal)
tengħut (alternative)

Inherited from dialectal Arabic, itself from Berber; compare Central Atlas Tamazight ⵜⴰⵏⴰⵖⵓⵜ (tanaɣut).


fisqija

Eventually from Latin fascia. Regarding the preserved velar/uvular, the form cannot have passed through Sicilian fascia, whence indeed Maltese faxxa. Hence probably inherited from older Arabic فَصْقِيّة (faṣqiyya, “a kind of cloth or bandage”, whence also Spanish falquía (“halter”)), from Ancient Greek φασκία (phaskía). Alternatively directly from the Greek.

inh

whence also Spanish <i class="Latn mention" lang="es">falquía</i> (“halter”)


tallab

mt-noun

tallab m (plural tallaba or tlaleb, feminine tallaba)

tallaba (plural)
tlaleb (plural)
tallaba (feminine)


talba

singulative of talb:
a prayer (way or instance of praying)


talb

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:

verbal noun of talab:
begging, requesting


waranofsinhar

waranofsinhar m (plural waranofsinharijiet or waranofsinhari)

waranofsinharijiet (plural)
waranofsinhari (plural)
wara nofsinhar (alternative)

Univerbation of wara nofsinhar, literally “after noon”.


ġewwieni

mt-noun

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

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

/d͡ʒɛwˈwɪː.nɪ/

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

surf

Coordinate term: barrani


ġewwieni

/d͡ʒɛwˈwɪː.nɪ/


tajr

tajra (singulative)
tjur (plural)
tjar (plural)
tajriet (paucal)

From Arabic طَيْر (ṭayr). The singulative tajra may continue both طَيْرة (ṭayra) and طائِرة (ṭāʔira).


manoċċa

manoċċi (plural)
maniċċa (alternative)
menoċċa (alternative)
manuċċa (alternative)


ħawt vulkaniku

mt-noun

ħawt vulkaniku m (plural ħwat vulkaniċi)


ġerrej

ġerrej m (plural ġerrejja, feminine ġerrejja)

Occupational noun from Arabic جَرَّاي (jarrāy).


sbul

From Arabic سُبُول (subūl), originally plural of سَبَل (sabal), but also used interchangeably with it. Compare further سُنْبُل (sunbul).


għammied

għammied m (plural għammieda, feminine għammieda)


tewba

tewba f (plural tewbat, diminutive twejba)


umanist

umanist m (plural umanisti, feminine umanista)

umanisti (plural)
umanista (feminine)
umanista (alternative)


siġill

Eventually from Latin sigillum. The word may be a simple borrowing from Italian sigillo (“seal”). However, it is also possible that it was inherited from Arabic سِجِلّ (sijill, “scroll”) and only re-adopted the sense “seal” under Italo-Romance influence.


matmura

matmura f (plural mtamar, paucal matmuriet)


maxxat

maxxat m (plural maxxata or maxxatin, feminine maxxata)

maxxata (plural)
maxxatin (plural)
maxxata (feminine)

inh

Arabic مَشَّاط (maššāṭ)


magħsra

mt-noun

magħsra f (plural magħsriet or mgħasar or mgħaser)

magħsriet (plural)
mgħasar (plural)
mgħaser (plural)


iġbla

plural of ġebel: mountains, mountain range


għatsa

singulative of għats: a sneeze, an instance of sneezing


ċkunija

ċkuniti (first-person singular)
ċkunitna (first-person singular)
ċkunitek (second-person singular)
ċkunitkom (second-person singular)
ċkunitu (masculine singular third-person)
ċkunitha (feminine singular third-person)
ċkunithom (singular third-person)


qlajja

Probably derived from qala’ (“to pull out, extract”), which is also used in the sense of “to invent something baseless”. The alternative spelling qlajja’ attempts to align it with that root, but regarding the plural in -iet there appears to be no basis for still postulating an underlying għ in this word.


xagħat

From the Arabic root ش ع ث (š ʕ ṯ), related to being “shaggy, disheveled, disordered”, especially of hair. Possibly referring to the hairs found on many kinds of caterpillars.

ar-root

ش ع ث (š ʕ ṯ)


dehwa

thorough occupation with something; care, diligence


hedu

From Arabic هَدْء (hadʔ) and/or هُدُوء (hudūʔ).


riħa

mt-noun

riħa f (plural rwejjaħ or riħat, diminutive rwejħa)

rwejjaħ (plural)
riħat (plural)
rwejħa (diminutive)

inh

Arabic رَائِحَة (rāʔiḥa)


samsar

mt-noun

samsar m (plural samsara or smasar or samsarin, feminine samsara)

samsara (plural)
smasar (plural)
samsarin (plural)
samsara (feminine)


bilbla

From Arabic بُلْبُل (bulbul, “nightingale”).


alwett

alwetta (singulative)
alwetti (plural)
alwettiet (paucal)

Eventually from Old French aloete, from a diminutive of Latin alauda. The word may have been borrowed directly from the Normans, or later from modern French alouette.


għeluq

verbal noun of għalaq: closing, closure; ending, end


baħħ

Inherited from dialectal Arabic. Compare Tunisian Arabic بح (baḥḥ, “gone”, interjection), Moroccan Arabic بح (baḥḥ, “gone”, interjection) and North Levantine Arabic بح (baḥḥ, “gone”, interjection).

cog

void, emptiness, a state of being deserted


għanqud

mt-noun

għanqud m (plural għenieqed, diminutive għenejqed)

għenieqed (plural)
għenejqed (diminutive)


għenieqed

/ɛˤːˈnɪː.ʔɛt/


rajjes

rajjes m (plural rwasa, diminutive rwajjes)


tawes

inh

Arabic طَاوُوس (ṭāwūs)


rikkieb

mt-noun

rikkieb m (plural rikkebin or rikkieba, feminine rikkieba)

rikkebin (plural)
rikkieba (plural)
rikkieba (feminine)


bużbież

bużbieża (singulative)
bużbiżiet (paucal)
busbies (alternative obsolete)
besbies (alternative obsolete)
biżbież (alternative obsolete)


bużbież tal-ġidra

bużbieża tal-ġidra (singulative)
bużbiżiet tal-ġidra (paucal)

Foeniculum vulgare
Foeniculum vulgare#Translingual


bużbież tar-roqba

bużbieża tar-roqba (singulative)
bużbiżiet tar-roqba (paucal)


bużnannu

bużnannu m (plural bużnanniet, feminine bużnanna)


nannu

nannu m (plural nanniet or nannujiet or nannijiet, feminine nanna)

nanniet (plural)
nannujiet (plural)
nannijiet (plural)
nanna (feminine)
nannuwi (first-person singular)
nannuna (first-person singular)
nannuk (second-person singular)
nannukom (second-person singular)
nannuh (masculine singular third-person)
nannuha (feminine singular third-person)
nannuhom (singular third-person)

Imnalla għajjatlu Fredu u kellu jwaqqaf l-eloġju ta’ nannuh, għax naħseb l-istorja li kien imiss kienet li għandu xi gżira privata.

Alternative form: nann

Used to show respect when addressing old men.


bużnanna

bużnanna f (plural bużnanniet, masculine bużnannu)

bużnanniet (plural)
bużnannu (masculine)
bużnannti (first-person singular)
bużnannitna (first-person singular)
bużnanntek (second-person singular)
bużnannitkom (second-person singular)
bużnanntu (masculine singular third-person)
bużnannitha (feminine singular third-person)
bużnannithom (singular third-person)


bużnanniet

great-grandparents
plural of bużnannu: great-grandfathers

great-grandparents
plural of bużnanna: great-grandmothers


nanniet

grandparents
plural of nannu: grandfathers

grandparents
plural of nanna: grandmothers


għawejna

(dated, chiefly in placenames) diminutive of għajn: little spring, little water source


miġimgħa

miġimgħat (plural)
miġemgħa (alternative)

From Arabic مَجْمَعَة (majmaʕa), مَجْمَع (majmaʕ).


ġemgħa

ġemgħa f (plural ġemgħat or ġmiegħi, diminutive ġmejgħa)

ġemgħat (plural)
ġmiegħi (plural)
ġmejgħa (diminutive)


ġmigħ

verbal noun of ġema’: collecting, gathering


ġellewż

ġellewża (singulative)
ġellewżiet (paucal)

hazelnut, hazelnuts (several nuts; hazelnut as a mass or species)


ġbin

ġbien (plural)
iġbna (plural)
ġbini (first-person singular)
ġbinna (first-person singular)
ġbinek (second-person singular)
ġbinkom (second-person singular)
ġbinu (masculine singular third-person)
ġbinha (feminine singular third-person)
ġbinhom (singular third-person)


żelu

Borrowed from Italian zelo and/or Sicilian zelu, from Latin zelus, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος (zêlos).


awla

Borrowed from Italian aula, from Latin aula.


żnied

żnieda (singulative)
żnada (singulative)
żinda (plural)
iżinda (plural)
żnidiet (paucal)

From Arabic زِنَاد (zinād), originally plural of زَنْد (zand), but also used interchangeably.


żnied

Monsinjur Grech min-naħa tiegħu insista li dak li qal fl-Omelija f’nhar Santa Marija ma kienx minn żniedu.

2017 August 21, “Il-kumment tal-Isqof dwar id-droga fil-festi mhux sostanzjata – Għaqda Każini tal-Banda”, in TVM:

Monsignor Grech for his part insisted that what he said during the homily on Assumption Day was not of his own invention.


reħi

verbal noun of reħa: slackening, release


splużjoni

splużjonijiet (plural)
isplużjoni (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian splusioni, from Latin explosio.


qamħirrum

qamħirruma (singulative)
qamħirrumiet (paucal)
qamħirrun (alternative)

From older Maltese qamħ ir-rum. By surface analysis, qamħ (“wheat”) + ir-Rum (“the Romans”), literally “wheat of the Romans”.


furrax

furraxa (singulative)
furraxiet (paucal)

From dialectal Arabic فُرَّاش (furrāš, “vermin”).


sultan is-summien

furrax is-summien
furrax is-summien#Maltese


buqrajq

bqaraq (plural)
buqarrieq (alternative)
buqarraq (alternative)

From bu + qrajq, with qrajq diminutive form of obsolete qarq, from Arabic قَرْق (qarq, “clucking”).

Caprimulgus europaeus
Caprimulgus europaeus#Translingual

Eurasian nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus)


blonġun żgħir

Tachybaptus ruficollis
Tachybaptus ruficollis#Translingual


blonġun prim

Podiceps cristatus
Podiceps cristatus#Translingual

great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus)


blonġun sekond

mt-noun

blonġun sekond m (plural blonġuni sekondi)

Podiceps nigricollis
Podiceps nigricollis#Translingual

black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)


garnija tal-Atlantiku

Puffinus puffinus
Puffinus puffinus#Translingual


garnija

Puffinus yelkouan
Puffinus yelkouan#Translingual


garnija tal-Baleariku

Puffinus mauretanicus
Puffinus mauretanicus#Translingual

Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus)


kanġu ta' Filfla

kanġu ta’ Filfla m (plural kanġijiet ta’ Filfla)

kanġu ta’ Filfla (canonical masculine)
kanġijiet ta’ Filfla (plural)


kanġu tal-Atlantiku

kanġu tal-Atlantiku m (plural kanġijiet tal-Atlantiku)

Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Oceanodroma leucorhoa#Translingual

Leach's Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa)


għanem

livestock, cattle (in the broader sense), especially sheep


għomma

għomma f (plural għemejjem or għamajjem)


għorna

From dialectal Arabic غُرْنَة (ḡurna, “trough”).

ref

Salmoné, Habib Anthony (1889) An Advanced Learner's Arabic-English Dictionary, Beirut: Librairie du Liban

Alternative form: għerna

Fl-aħħar nett, ippermettuli ngħid li ser inkun kuntent ħafna nilqa’ lill-Prim Ministru Theresa May illum. Xi mezzi tax-xandir iddeskrivew l-ewwel laqgħa tagħha fil-Kunsill Ewropew bħala li dieħla fl-għorna tal-iljuni.

2016 October 20, “Kummenti mill-President Donald Tusk mal-wasla tiegħu qabel il-laqgħa tal-Kunsill Ewropew”, in Kunsill tal-Unjoni Ewropea:

Finally, let me say that I'll be very happy to welcome Prime Minister Theresa May today. Some media described her first meeting in the European Council as entering the lion's den.

Alternative forms: għerna, girna


nofsillejl

From Arabic نِصْف اللَّيْل (niṣf al-layl, “midnight”). By surface analysis, nofs + il- + lejl.

inh

نِصْف اللَّيْل

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

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


granċ

Borrowed from Sicilian granciu, from Latin cancrulus, diminutive of cancer, or from the accusative form cancrum, through an intermediate form *cranclo or *crancro.

laħam tal-granċ


qabru

Ultimately from Byzantine Greek κάβουρας (kábouras), from Koine Greek κάβουρος (kábouros, “crab”). Compare Sardinian cavuru.

(figuratively) unsociable, unfriendly person


qabru

third-person masculine singular possessive form of qabar: his grave


qafas

mt-noun

qafas m (plural oqfsa or qofsa or qfas, diminutive qfajjes)

oqfsa (plural)
qofsa (plural)
qfas (plural)
qfajjes (diminutive)


qaddej

qaddej m (plural qaddejja, feminine qaddejja)


rfinitur

rfinituri (plural)
irfinitur (alternative also)


rfinitura

rfinituri (plural)
irfinitura (alternative also)


referì

referee (person who writes a letter of reference)


maġra

mġari (plural)
mġieri (plural)
miġra (alternative)
moġra (alternative)


bieqja

Probably from Arabic باقِي (bāqī), باقِية (bāqiya, “rest, remainder”). Compare بَواقِي (bawāqī) in the sense of “leftovers”. Used in the same sense as Maltese in the dialect of Sfax (Tunisia).


margun żgħir

Microcarbo pygmaeus
Microcarbo pygmaeus#Translingual


margun

margun m (plural mragen or marguni, feminine marguna)

mragen (plural)
marguni (plural)
marguna (feminine)

Borrowed from Sicilian marguni /maraguni.

bor+

Phalacrocorax carbo
Phalacrocorax carbo#Translingual


margun tat-toppu

Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Phalacrocorax aristotelis#Translingual


pellikan

Pelecanus onocrotalus
Pelecanus onocrotalus#Translingual

great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)


kappun

Botaurus stellaris
Botaurus stellaris#Translingual


russett tas-siġar

Ixobrychus minutus
Ixobrychus minutus#Translingual


kwakka

Nycticorax nycticorax
Nycticorax nycticorax#Translingual


agrett isfar

Ardeola ralloides
Ardeola ralloides#Translingual


agrett tal-bhejjem

Bubulcus ibis
Bubulcus ibis#Translingual


agrett tax-xatt

Egretta gularis
Egretta gularis#Translingual


agrett abjad

Egretta garzetta
Egretta garzetta#Translingual


russett griż

Ardea cinerea
Ardea cinerea#Translingual


russett aħmar

Ardea purpurea
Ardea purpurea#Translingual


ċikonja sewda

Ciconia nigra
Ciconia nigra#Translingual


ċikonja bajda

Ciconia ciconia
Ciconia ciconia#Translingual


velleran

vellerani (plural)
veneral (alternative)

Plegadis falcinellus
Plegadis falcinellus#Translingual


fjamingu

fjamingi (plural)
flamingo (alternative)

Phoenicopterus roseus
Phoenicopterus roseus#Translingual

greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)


wiżża tal-ful

Anser fabalis
Anser fabalis#Translingual


wiżża tal-maskra

Anser albifrons
Anser albifrons#Translingual


wiżża ħamra

Branta ruficollis
Branta ruficollis#Translingual


wiżża tal-Eġittu

Alopochen aegyptiaca
Alopochen aegyptiaca#Translingual


kuluvert aħmar

Tadorna ferruginea
Tadorna ferruginea#Translingual


kuluvert tas-salib

Tadorna tadorna
Tadorna tadorna#Translingual


silfjun Ewropew

Mareca penelope
Mareca penelope#Translingual

Eurasian wigeon (Mareca penelope, syn. Anas penelope)


kuluvert griż

Anas strepera
Anas strepera#Translingual


sarsella

From French sarcelle, from Latin querquedula.


kuluvert

kuluverd (alternative obsolete)
kolluverd (alternative obsolete)

Anas platyrhynchos
Anas platyrhynchos#Translingual


silfjun

Is-Silfjun

folklore: a whale-sized monster that preyed on unsuspecting fishermen and swimmers close to Filfla


sarsella ħamra

Anas querquedula
Anas querquedula#Translingual


palettuna

Spatula clypeata
Spatula clypeata#Translingual

Anas clypeata
Anas clypeata#Translingual

northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata, formerly Anas clypeata)


sarsella mnaqqxa

marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris)


brajmla

From the feminine form of brajmel, diminutive of barmil.

Aythya ferina
Aythya ferina#Translingual


brajmla ħamra

Aythya nyroca
Aythya nyroca#Translingual


brajmla tat-toppu

Aythya fuligula
Aythya fuligula#Translingual


brajmla rasha sewda

Literally, “pochard with its head black”.

lit

Aythya marila
Aythya marila#Translingual


brajmla sewda

Melanitta nigra
Melanitta nigra#Translingual


brajmla tal-għajn

Bucephala clangula
Bucephala clangula#Translingual


serra bajda

Mergellus albellus
Mergellus albellus#Translingual


serra prima

Mergus merganser
Mergus merganser#Translingual


brajmla rasha bajda

Literally, “pochard with its head white”.

Oxyura leucocephala
Oxyura leucocephala#Translingual


kuċċarda

kuċċardi (plural)
ċiċċarda (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian cucciarda (“Eurasian skylark”).

bor+

European honey buzzard
European honey buzzard

Pernis apivorus
Pernis apivorus#Translingual

European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus)


astun iswed

Milvus migrans
Milvus migrans#Translingual


astun aħmar

Milvus milvus
Milvus milvus#Translingual


ajkla tal-baħar

Haliaeetus albicilla
Haliaeetus albicilla#Translingual

white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)


avultun abjad

Neophron percnopterus
Neophron percnopterus#Translingual

Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus)


ajkla bajda

short-toed snake eagle
short-toed snake eagle

Circaetus gallicus
Circaetus gallicus#Translingual

short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus)


bagħdan aħmar

western marsh harrier
western marsh harrier

Circus aeruginosus
Circus aeruginosus#Translingual

western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus)


bagħdan ikħal

Circus cyaneus
Circus cyaneus#Translingual


bagħdan abjad

Circus macrourus
Circus macrourus#Translingual


bagħdan griż

Circus pygargus
Circus pygargus#Translingual


kuċċarda ħamra

Buteo rufinus
Buteo rufinus#Translingual


kuċċarda tal-kalzetti

rough-legged buzzard
rough-legged buzzard

Buteo lagopus
Buteo lagopus#Translingual


ajkla tat-tikek

lesser spotted eagle
lesser spotted eagle

Clanga pomarina
Clanga pomarina#Translingual


ajkla rjali

Aquila chrysaetos
Aquila chrysaetos#Translingual


ajkla tal-kalzetti

Hieraaetus pennatus
Hieraaetus pennatus#Translingual


spanjulett sekond

Falco naumanni
Falco naumanni#Translingual


spanjulett

Falco tinnunculus
Falco tinnunculus#Translingual


spanjulett Amerikan

Falco sparverius
Falco sparverius#Translingual


żumbrell

From a diminutive form of żgombru (“mackerel”), from Italian sgombro (“mackerel”).

Falco vespertinus
Falco vespertinus#Translingual


seqer ta' denbu

Falco columbarius
Falco columbarius#Translingual


seqer tal-ħannieqa

Falco subbuteo
Falco subbuteo#Translingual


bies tar-reġina

Falco eleonorae
Falco eleonorae#Translingual


żumbrell Għarbi

Falco concolor
Falco concolor#Translingual


bies tad-deżert

Falco biarmicus
Falco biarmicus#Translingual


bies tal-Lvant

Falco cherrug
Falco cherrug#Translingual


bies ta' Barbarija

bies ta’ Barbarija (canonical masculine)

Falco pelegrinoides
Falco pelegrinoides#Translingual


gallozz tax-xitwa

Rallus aquaticus
Rallus aquaticus#Translingual


gallozz tat-tikek

Porzana porzana
Porzana porzana#Translingual


gallozz żgħir

Porzana parva
Porzana parva#Translingual


gallozz tal-faxxi

Porzana pusilla
Porzana pusilla#Translingual

Baillon's crake (Zapornia pusilla, syn. Porzana pusilla)


faxx

faxx dawl

faxx tadam


gallozz tal-istrixxi

Aenigmatolimnas marginalis
Aenigmatolimnas marginalis#Translingual

striped crake (Aenigmatolimnas marginalis)


gallozz iswed

Gallinula chloropus
Gallinula chloropus#Translingual


gallozz tal-Afrika

Porphyrio alleni
Porphyrio alleni#Translingual


gallozz prim

Porphyrio porphyrio
Porphyrio porphyrio#Translingual


tiġieġ tat-toppu

Fulica cristata
Fulica cristata#Translingual


grawwa

Borrowed from Italian grua, an obsolete form of gru.

common crane (Grus grus) (several birds; the crane as a species)


antenat

mt-noun

antenat m (plural antenati, feminine antenata)

Borrowed from Italian antenato, from Latin antenatus (literally “born before”).


żfin

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:

verbal noun of żifen: dance, the act or a period of dancing


żehra

singulative of żhir: a neigh, an instance of neighing


żemżem

żimżem (alternative)
żamżam (alternative)


żmien żemżem

From żmien + żemżem, literally “the time of Zamzam”. The phrase probably means so much as “the days of Abraham”, in which the Zamzam well sprang forth according to Islamic belief. The Maltese people descend mainly from Arabic-speaking Muslims who were converted after the Norman conquest in 1127.

af

żmien żimżem (alternative)
żmien żamżam (alternative)

"Jiena kburija li qed nara proġett iffinanzjat mill-UE li qed jopponi preġudizzji minn żmien żemżem kontra r-Roma li qiegħed jirċievi rikonoxximent fin-naħa l-oħra tal-Atlantiku."

2011 August 24, “Proġett ikkofinanzjat mill-UE dwar ġrajjiet ir-Roma jirbaħ il-premju tal-midja diġitali [EU co-funded Roma stories project wins digital media award (English)]”, in Commission Spokesperson's Service, European Commission:

"I am proud to see an EU-funded project countering age-old prejudices against Roma receiving acknowledgement across the Atlantic."


daqqa

mt-noun

daqqa f (dual daqqtejn, plural daqqiet, diminutive dqajqa)

daqqtejn (dual)
daqqiet (plural)
dqajqa (diminutive)


dejl

extremity, skirt (eg. of a mountain or a hill)


dendul

dniedel (plural)
denduliet (plural)
dendula (alternative)


fissier

fissier m (plural fissirin, feminine fissiera)


ftila

ftila f (plural ftejjel, paucal ftiliet)


furban

furban m (plural furbani or furbana, feminine furbana)

furbani (plural)
furbana (plural)
furbana (feminine)

Likely formed from a nominal use of Sicilian furbu or Italian furbo, with possible influence from Arabic قُرْصَان (qurṣān). The suffix ‘’-an’’ is probably the Maltese suffix -an. Compare also the 17th-century Italian phrase guallera furbina (“corsair galley”).


bettieħ

bettieħa (singulative)
btietaħ (plural)
bettiħat (paucal)
bettiħiet (paucal)
bettiħ (alternative)
bittiħ (alternative)

From Arabic بِطِّيخ (biṭṭīḵ). The etymologically more justified (and prescriptively preferred) spelling bettiħ is very rare in practice since the word is treated as belonging to the common measure C-e-CC-ie-C. (The phonemes /iː/ and /ɪː/ are merged before /ħ/ and /ʔ/.)

inh

Arabic بِطِّيخ (biṭṭīḵ)


brijoxx

brijoxxa (singulative)
brijoxxi (plural)


mistħija

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:


tabxa

tabxiet (plural)
tapxa (alternative)
tabċa (alternative)


fruntiera

Borrowed from Italian frontiera and/or Sicilian fruntera.

“Iżda l-fruntieri huma kollha magħluqin”, għedtlu jien.

2018 [1977], Alfred Massa, L-Istar tal-Imgħoddi, 2nd edition, Horizons, page 81:


L-Ewwel ta' April

L-Ewwel ta’ April (canonical masculine)
L-Ewwel t’April (alternative)


L-Ewwel t'April

L-Ewwel ta’ April
L-Ewwel ta' April#Maltese


Jum il-Ġifa

jum + il- + ġifa, literally “the day of the abject”.


Jum il-Bluha

jum + il- + bluha, literally “the day of foolishness”.


ħasil ta' flus

Literally, “laundering of money”. Calque of English money laundering.


ingwanta

ingwanti (plural)
ngwanta (alternative informal)

Borrowed from Sicilian nguanta, from Frankish *wantu, from Proto-Germanic *wantuz.


gallina tal-baħar

Haematopus ostralegus
Haematopus ostralegus#Translingual

Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)


fras-servjent

Himantopus himantopus
Himantopus himantopus#Translingual

black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus)


xifa

mt-noun

xifa f (plural xifiet or xwejjef, diminutive xwejfa)

xifiet (plural)
xwejjef (plural)
xwejfa (diminutive)

From Arabic شِيف (šīf, “prickles on the stems and branches of palm-trees”). The biological uses by analogy with the form of the beak and shell respectively.

inh

Recurvirostra avosetta
Recurvirostra avosetta#Translingual

tusk shell, especially of the genus Dentalium


tellerit

tellerita (singulative)
tillarit (alternative)
tillerit (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian taddarita, tallarita.

bor+

Eurasian stone-curlew
Eurasian stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus
Burhinus oedicnemus#Translingual

Eurasian stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)


nankina

cream-colored courser
cream-colored courser

Cursorius cursor
Cursorius cursor#Translingual

cream-colored courser (Cursorius cursor)


perniċjotta

perniċjotti (plural)
perniċotta (alternative)

Glareola pratincola
Glareola pratincola#Translingual

collared pratincole (Glareola pratincola)


monakella

little ringed plover
little ringed plover

Charadrius dubius
Charadrius dubius#Translingual

little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius)


monakella prima

Charadrius hiaticula
Charadrius hiaticula#Translingual


monakella żgħira

Charadrius alexandrinus
Charadrius alexandrinus#Translingual

Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)


birwin tal-lvant

Charadrius leschenaultii
Charadrius leschenaultii#Translingual

greater sand plover (Charadrius leschenaultii)


birwin tal-Asja

Charadrius asiaticus
Charadrius asiaticus#Translingual


birwin

birwina (singulative)
briewen (plural)
birwiniet (paucal)
berwin (alternative)
burwin (alternative)

Charadrius morinellus
Charadrius morinellus#Translingual

Eurasian dotterel (Charadrius morinellus)


pluviera żgħira

Pluvialis fulva
Pluvialis fulva#Translingual


pluviera

mt-noun

pluviera f (plural pluvieri or pluveriet)

Ultimately from Vulgar Latin *pluviārius

Eurasian golden plover
Eurasian golden plover

Pluvialis apricaria
Pluvialis apricaria#Translingual

Eurasian golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria)


pluviera griża

Pluvialis squatarola
Pluvialis squatarola#Translingual


venewwa tal-ixpruni

Vanellus spinosus
Vanellus spinosus#Translingual


venewwa tal-qtajja'

venewwa tal-qtajja’ (canonical feminine)

Vanellus gregarius
Vanellus gregarius#Translingual


venewwa denbha abjad

white-tailed lapwing
white-tailed lapwing

Vanellus leucurus
Vanellus leucurus#Translingual

white-tailed lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)


venewwa

Vanellus vanellus
Vanellus vanellus#Translingual

lapwing (bird):
northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)


pispisella prima

Calidris canutus
Calidris canutus#Translingual


pispisella bajda

Calidris alba
Calidris alba#Translingual


tertux

tertux m (plural trietex, feminine tertuxa)

Calidris minuta
Calidris minuta#Translingual


tertuxa griża

Calidris temminckii
Calidris temminckii#Translingual


pispisella Amerikana

Calidris melanotos
Calidris melanotos#Translingual


pispisella ħamra

Calidris ferruginea
Calidris ferruginea#Translingual


pispisella tad-dabra

Calidris alpina
Calidris alpina#Translingual


nemmies

nemmies m (plural nemmiesa, feminine nemmiesa)


neffieq

neffieq m (plural neffieqa, feminine neffieqa)


miekla

From Arabic مَأْكَلَة (maʔkala). Compare Tunisian Arabic ماكلة (mekla)، Libyan Arabic ماكلة (mākla)، Moroccan Arabic ماكلة (mākla).


wikkiel

wikkiel m (plural wikkiela or wikkelin, feminine wikkiela)

wikkiela (plural)
wikkelin (plural)
wikkiela (feminine)

From Arabic أَكَّال (ʔakkāl). Compare Moroccan Arabic وكال (wakkāl).


wiżagħ

lizards (in practice especially geckos or lacertids)


xaħma

From Arabic شَحْمَة (šaḥma). Doublet of xaħmet.

(figuratively) quiet and helpless person


xaħmet

Clipping of xaħmet l-art (“skink”, literally “fat of the soil”).


xaħmet l-art

xaħma (“piece of fat”) + il- (definite article) + art (“ground, soil”), literally “piece of fat of the soil”.


tixrif

verbal noun of xarraf:
loss of freshness


xrufija

xrufijiet (plural)
xrufiti (first-person singular)
xrufitna (first-person singular)
xrufitek (second-person singular)
xrufitkom (second-person singular)
xrufitu (masculine singular third-person)
xrufitha (feminine singular third-person)
xrufithom (singular third-person)


xatba

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

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


qana

mt-noun

qana f (plural qonja or qwieni or qnajja)

qonja (plural)
qwieni (plural)
qnajja (plural)


drawwa

Derived from dara, from Arabic دَرَى (darā).


ħarrat

ħarrat m (plural ħarratin, feminine ħarrata)


ħżieża

From Arabic حُصَاص (ḥuṣāṣ, “mange, scab”), from حَصَّ (ḥaṣṣa, “to become hairless”), with voicing of ص (ṣ) as in several other Maltese words.


ħaxja

inh

Arabic حَاشِيَة (ḥāšiya)


għarukaża

Univerbation of għar (“shame”) + u (“and”) + każa (“scandal”). The origin of the last word seems to be uncertain.


quċċata

mt-noun

quċċata f (plural qċaċet, paucal quċċatiet)

qċaċet (plural)
quċċatiet (paucal)
qoċċata (alternative obsolete)

Probably derived from a Sicilian equivalent of Italian coccia + -ata.


qċaċet

/ˈʔt͡ʃaː.t͡ʃɛt/


qarrieq

qarrieq m (plural qarrieqa or qarrieqin, feminine qarrieqa)

qarrieqa (plural)
qarrieqin (plural)
qarrieqa (feminine)


qarrieqi

qarrieqi m (plural qarreqija or qarreqin, feminine qarreqija)

qarreqija (plural)
qarreqin (plural)
qarreqija (feminine)

/ʔarˈrɪː.ʔɪ/


xeħħa

stinginess, avarice, greed (desire to possess)


xehwa

desire (with a negative overtone and especially sexual); lust, lustfulness


xaħħieħ

xaħħieħ m (plural xaħħieħa or xaħħeħin, feminine xaħħieħa)

xaħħieħa (plural)
xaħħeħin (plural)
xaħħieħa (feminine)


xiber

xiber m (dual xibrejn, plural xbar, diminutive xbejjer)

xibrejn (dual)
xbar (plural)
xbejjer (diminutive)

span (the measure of the hand), officially 10 5⁄16 imperial inches or ~26.19 m.


kuċċarun

From an augmentative of Sicilian cucciara, cucchiara, from Latin cochlearium.


dikxiena

dikxiena f (plural dkiexen or dikxeniet)

Related to Arabic دِكْش (dikš, “fire poker”).


ġiżimin

ġiżimina (singulative)
ġiżiminiet (plural)
ġiżmin (alternative)
ġesmina (alternative)
ġeżmina (alternative)

Etymology tree
Middle Persian yʾsmn'
Classical Persian یَاسَمِین (yāsamīn)bor.
Arabic يَاسَمِين (yāsamīn)bor.
Sicilian gesiminubor.
Maltese ġiżimin
Borrowed from Sicilian gesiminu.

etymon

ġiżimin, ġiżi, dalji u tulipan !
X’għaxqa ta’ lwien imżewqa, sbieħ, safjin !
ifuħu kollha : iżda mhux bħal xuxlin !!

1936, R. M. B., “Għal kull ma ħlaqtilna iċ-ċaħda trid minn’na”, in Lehen il-Malti, numbers 61-62, lines 10–12:


lsien tan-nar

ilsna tan-nar (plural)
ilsien tan-nar (alternative also)


qalgħa

mt-noun

qalgħa f (plural qliegħi, diminutive qlejgħa)


qalba

qalba f (plural qlub or qliebi or qalbiet, diminutive qlejba)

qlub (plural)
qliebi (plural)
qalbiet (plural)
qlejba (diminutive)


qalfat

qalfat m (plural qlafat, feminine qalfata)


qastan

From Arabic قَسْطَن (qasṭan), a variant of كَسْتَنَاء (kastanāʔ), from Ancient Greek κάστανα (kástana).


qastanija

a chestnut-coloured filling consisting of honey and flour used in Maltese Christmas ring-cakes


ħal

ħalin (plural)
ħala (feminine)
ħali (first-person singular)
ħalna (first-person singular)
ħalek (second-person singular)
ħalkom (second-person singular)
ħalu (masculine singular third-person)
ħalha (feminine singular third-person)
ħalhom (singular third-person)

Coordinate term: għamm (“paternal uncle”)


għamm

għamm m (plural għemum, feminine għamma)

għemum (plural)
għamma (feminine)
għammi (first-person singular)
għammna (first-person singular)
għammek (second-person singular)
għammkom (second-person singular)
għammu (masculine singular third-person)
għammha (feminine singular third-person)
għammhom (singular third-person)

Coordinate term: ħal (“maternal uncle”)


razzett

Borrowed from Sicilian rizzettu, from Latin receptus. Compare Italian ricetto (“hut, shelter”). Doublet of riċetta.


barxa fl-istonku

barxa fl-istonku f (plural barxiet fl-istonku)


ġhież

From Arabic جِهَاز (jihāz). Compare to Tunisian Arabic جْهاز (“bride's wardrobe”).


nuħħala

nħaħel (plural)
noħħala (alternative)
naħħala (alternative)

From Arabic نُخَالَة (nuḵāla). Compare Moroccan Arabic نخالة (nuḵḵāla).


nofsija

mt-noun

nofsija f (plural nfasi or nfajjes, diminutive nfajsa)

nfasi (plural)
nfajjes (plural)
nfajsa (diminutive)


pronom mehmuż

pronom mehmuż m (plural pronomi mehmużin)


sebuqa

Borrowed from Sicilian savucu, from Latin sambūcus.


ħabi

verbal noun of ħeba: concealing, secrecy


ħxuna

inh

Arabic خُشُونَة (ḵušūna)


ħxunija

ħxuniti (first-person singular)
ħxunitna (first-person singular)
ħxunitek (second-person singular)
ħxunitkom (second-person singular)
ħxunitu (masculine singular third-person)
ħxunitha (feminine singular third-person)
ħxunithom (singular third-person)


ħerba

mt-noun

ħerba f (plural ħereb or ħireb or ħorob or ħrieb or ħriebi, paucal ħerbiet)

ħereb (plural)
ħireb (plural)
ħorob (plural)
ħrieb (plural)
ħriebi (plural)
ħerbiet (paucal)
ħorba (alternative)


lbieba

From Arabic, related to لُبّ (lubb). Compare Moroccan Arabic بابة (bāba).


mus tal-leħja

mus tal-leħja m (plural mwies tal-leħja)


bajja

Borrowed from Sicilian baia and/or Italian baia, both from Old French baie, of uncertain origin.

bay, bight (roundish recess in the coastline)


piż

Borrowed from Sicilian pisu, from Latin pensum.

weight (quality of being more or less heavy)


tixbiha

/tɪʒˈbɪː.ħa/

Derived from Arabic تَشْبِيه (tašbīh, “comparing, making similar”).

der

general term for a literary device where something is compared to something else: allegory, analogy, metaphor, parable


żiemel tal-baħar

mt-noun

żiemel tal-baħar m (plural żwiemel tal-baħar)

Alternative form of żiemel il-baħar: sea horse


baqra tal-baħar

baqra tal-baħar f (plural baqar tal-baħar, paucal baqriet tal-baħar)

baqar tal-baħar (plural)
baqriet tal-baħar (paucal)


kelb il-baħar

kelb + il- + baħar, literally “dog of the sea”. Compare North Levantine Arabic كلب البحر (kalb əl-baḥr).


duqqajs

mt-noun

duqqajs m (plural duqqajsiet or duqqajsijiet)

duqqajsiet (plural)
duqqajsijiet (plural)
dojjaqs (alternative)

From Arabic. Compare Arabic دُقْس (duqs, “insect”).


ħram

Il-ħelu ħram għalija.

(dated, literary) something forbidden, prohibited, sinful, taboo


tidbil

verbal noun of debbel: weakening, withering


kefrija

Regarding the obsolete variant probably inherited from Arabic كُفْرِيّة (kufriyya, “blasphemousness, a blasphemy, an act of unbelief”). Alternatively formed from the adjective kiefer, from Arabic كافِر (kāfir), + -ija.


bittija

mt-noun

bittija f (plural btieti, diminutive btejta)

btieti (plural)
btejta (diminutive)
bettija (alternative)


sidrija

From Arabic صَدْرِيَّة (ṣadriyya). By surface analysis, sider + -ija.


smurija

smuriti (first-person singular)
smuritna (first-person singular)
smuritek (second-person singular)
smuritkom (second-person singular)
smuritu (masculine singular third-person)
smuritha (feminine singular third-person)
smurithom (singular third-person)


sinsla

sinsla f (plural sniesel, paucal sinsliet)

sniesel (plural)
sinsliet (paucal)
silsla (alternative)
sensla (alternative)

From Arabic سِلْسِلَة (silsila). Compare Moroccan Arabic سنسلة (sansla).


gellux

gellux m (plural glielex, paucal gelluxiet, feminine gelluxa, diminutive glejlex)

glielex (plural)
gelluxiet (paucal)
gelluxa (feminine)
glejlex (diminutive)
qellux (alternative)


gedmejmun

gedmejmuna (feminine)
gidmejmun (alternative)
kitmejmun (alternative)


mewwies

mewwies m (plural mewwiesa or mewwisin, feminine mewwiesa)

mewwiesa (plural)
mewwisin (plural)
mewwiesa (feminine)


nagħsa

nagħsa f (plural nagħsiet, diminutive ngħajsa)


żogħor

From Arabic صِغَر (ṣiḡar). Compare Moroccan Arabic صغر (ṣḡur).


għaniqa

/aˤːˈnɪː.ʔa/

a young goat (at roughly one year of age)


waħdenija

inh

وَحْدَانِيَّة


żerriegħ

mt-noun

żerriegħ m (plural żerriegħin, feminine żerriegħa)

żerriegħin (plural)
żerriegħa (feminine)


nir

From Arabic نِيل (nīl), from Middle Persian 𐭭𐭩𐭫 (nīl).


ġiebja

ġiebja f (plural ġwiebi, diminutive ġibjetta)


faħx

obscenity, something outrageous, especially indecent talk


minġel

minġel m (plural mnieġel, diminutive mnejġel)

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:


għarix

għarix m (plural għarajjex or għerejjex)

From Arabic عَرِيش (ʕarīš, “simple structure, shed, shelter”).


għerejjex

/ɛˤːˈrɛj.jɛʃ/


suba'

mt-noun

suba’ m (dual subgħajn, plural subgħajn or swaba’)

suba’ (canonical masculine)
subgħajn (dual)
subgħajn (plural)
swaba’ (plural)
subgħi (first-person singular)
subagħna (first-person singular)
subgħek (second-person singular)
subagħkom (second-person singular)
subgħu (masculine singular third-person)
subagħha (feminine singular third-person)
subagħhom (singular third-person)
seba’ (alternative)
saba’ (alternative)

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

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


xprunara

xprunari (plural)
ixprunara (alternative)


xpruna

Borrowed from Sicilian spiruna, from either Frankish or Old High German sporo (both inflecting to sporon), from Proto-Germanic *spurô.


żrafa

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂-der.?
Classical Persian سرنا
Proto-Indo-European *ped-
Proto-Indo-European *-s
Proto-Indo-European *pṓds
Proto-Indo-Iranian *pā́ts
Proto-Iranian *pā́dah
Old Persian 𐎱𐎠𐎭 (p-a-d)
Classical Persian پَا (pā)
Classical Persian زُرْنَاپَا (zurnāpā)bor.
Classical Syriac ܙܪܝܦܐbor.
Arabic زُرَافَة (zurāfa)
Maltese żrafa
From Arabic زُرَافَة (zurāfa). Doublet of ġiraff.


ġiraff

mt-noun

ġiraff m (plural ġiraffi, feminine ġiraffa)

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂-der.?
Classical Persian سرنا
Proto-Indo-European *ped-
Proto-Indo-European *-s
Proto-Indo-European *pṓds
Proto-Indo-Iranian *pā́ts
Proto-Iranian *pā́dah
Old Persian 𐎱𐎠𐎭 (p-a-d)
Classical Persian پَا (pā)
Classical Persian زُرْنَاپَا (zurnāpā)bor.
Classical Syriac ܙܪܝܦܐbor.
Arabic زُرَافَة (zurāfa)bor.
Italian giraffabor.
Maltese ġiraff
Borrowed from Italian giraffa. Doublet of żrafa.


għasida

inh

Arabic عَصِيدَة (ʕaṣīda)


għens

mt-noun

għens m (plural għenus or għenies or għensijiet)

għenus (plural)
għenies (plural)
għensijiet (plural)


għannej

għannej m (plural għannejja, feminine għannejja)


wiżż

wiżża (singulative)
wiżeż (plural)
wiżżiet (paucal)


xammiem

xammiem m (plural xammiema, feminine xammiema)


xaqlieb

xaqlieb m (plural xaqlieba, feminine xaqlieba)


xbin

xbin m (plural xbejjen, feminine xbina or xbint)

xbejjen (plural)
xbina (feminine)
xbint (feminine)

From Arabic إِشْبِين (ʔišbīn), شَبِين (šabīn), from Classical Syriac ܫܰܘܫܒܺܝܢܳܐ (šawšəḇīnā). One of the specifically Christian words inherited from Arabic.

inh

Arabic إِشْبِين (ʔišbīn)

An address used mutually between the biological father and godfather of a child.


xbina

mt-noun

xbina m (plural xbejjen, masculine xbin)

xbejjen (plural)
xbin (masculine)
xbint (alternative)

From Arabic إِشْبِينَة (ʔišbīna), شَبِينَة (šabīna).

inh

Arabic إِشْبِينَة (ʔišbīna)

An address used mutually between the biological mother and godmother of a child.

(by extension) female friend; (with regard to a man often) mistress (illicit sexual partner)


dwana

Ultimately from Medieval Latin doana, from Arabic دِيوَان (dīwān).


ġmied

From Arabic جَمَاد (jamād, “solid matter, dry and barren soil”).


fuklar

fuklari (plural)
foklar (alternative)
foglar (alternative)


beritta

brieret (plural)
berritta (alternative)
britta (alternative)


sarsur

Arabic صُرْصُور (ṣurṣūr)


werżieq

Related to the verb werżaq (“to scream, shriek”), which has a plausible origin in a blend of werwer + obsolete żagħaq, themselves from Arabic وَلْوَلَ (walwala, “to wail”) + زَعَقَ (zaʕaqa, “to shout”). Werżieq would then be the agent noun of this verb (“screamer”). However, it is seems equally likely that the verb is in fact a backformation from the noun, which would in turn stem from Berber; compare Kabyle warzigen, arzigen, obsolete variants (each attested once near the end of the 19th c.) of contemporary awerǧeǧǧi, awerǧeǧǧin (“cidada”).


sardellin

sardellina (singulative)
sardelliniet (paucal)


qarmuċa

mt-noun

qarmuċa f (plural qriemeċ, paucal qarmuċiet)


ċumnija

ċumnija f (plural ċmieni or ċimnijiet or ċmiemen)

ċmieni (plural)
ċimnijiet (plural)
ċmiemen (plural)
ċimnija (alternative)


applikabilità

Borrowed from Italian applicabilità. By surface analysis, applika + -abilità.


applikant

applikant m (plural applikanti, feminine applikanta)

applikanti (plural)
applikanta (feminine)


approssimazzjoni

approssimazzjoni f (plural approssimazzjonijiet)


approprjazzjoni

approprjazzjoni f (plural approprjazzjonijiet)


tifdid

inh

Arabic تَفْضِيض (tafḍīḍ)


fiddied

mt-noun

fiddied m (plural fiddidin, feminine fiddieda)


fibrillazzjoni

fibrillazzjoni f (plural fibrillazzjonijiet)


kmandant

kmandant m (plural kmandanti, feminine kmandanta)

Borrowed from Sicilian cumandanti, from Italian comandante.


koagulazzjoni

koagulazzjoni m (plural koagulazzjonijiet)


tellief

tellief m (plural telliefa or tellefin, feminine telliefa)

telliefa (plural)
tellefin (plural)
telliefa (feminine)


wilġa

wilġa f (plural wileġ or ulieġi or wilġ, paucal wilġiet, diminutive ulejġa)

wileġ (plural)
ulieġi (plural)
wilġ (plural)
wilġiet (paucal)
ulejġa (diminutive)


taħlib

verbal noun of ħalleb:
milking; milking process


ħalf

verbal noun of ħalef:
use of foul language


ħlif

verbal noun of ħalef:
taking a statement on oath


kelliem

kelliem m (plural kelliema, feminine kelliema)


ġennien

ġennien m (plural ġenniena, feminine ġenniena)

/d͡ʒɛnˈnɪːn/


ġliba

a large number, especially:
crowd of people

a large number, especially:
shoal of fish


arġentier

arġentier m (plural arġentieri, feminine arġentiera)

arġentieri (plural)
arġentiera (feminine)


dramm

Borrowed from Italian dramma. Doublet of drama.


edifikazzjoni

edifikazzjoni f (plural edifikazzjonijiet)


ċivilista

ċivilista m or f by sense (plural ċivilisti)


għażżiela

għażżiela f (plural għożlien or għażżiliet or għażżieli or għażiel or għażiliet or għażlien or għażieżel)

għożlien (plural)
għażżiliet (plural)
għażżieli (plural)
għażiel (plural)
għażiliet (plural)
għażlien (plural)
għażieżel (plural)
għażiela (alternative)

From Arabic غَزَالَة (ḡazāla, “female gazelle”). The survival of this word in Malta is perhaps due its frequent figurative and poetic use among the Arabs. The gemination may be due to influence by Italian gazzella, though it is also explainable through analogy.


għażżiela

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

nonlemma

female equivalent of għażżiel (“spinner, one who spins”)


setaħ

mt-noun

setaħ m (plural istħa or stieħi or stuħ)

istħa (plural)
stieħi (plural)
stuħ (plural)

From Arabic سَطْح (saṭḥ). Emphatic ṭ was assimilated to s and/or dissimilated against ḥ.

a kind of veranda or terrace in a traditional Maltese house


dettall

dettalji (plural)
dettalli (plural)
detall (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian dettaglio, from French détail.


lġiem

ilġma (plural)
ilġiem (alternative also)


lokomozzjoni

lokomozzjoni f (plural lokomozzjonijiet)


xaqquf

xaqqufa (singulative)
xaqqufiet (paucal)
ċaqquf (alternative)

From Arabic, compare شَقَفَة (šaqafa, “potsherd”).


ċaqquf

ċaqqufa (singulative)
ċaqqufiet (paucal)

/t͡ʃaʔˈʔuːf/


mixegħla

/mɪˈʃɛˤː.la/


tweġġigħ

/twɛdˈd͡ʒɪːħ/


xropp

xroppijiet (plural)
xiropp (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian sciroppo and/or Sicilian sciroppu, ultimately from Arabic شَراب (šarāb).


xkubetta

xkubetta f (plural xkubetti or (Gozo) xkwiebet)


xkubettier

xkubettier m (plural xkubettiera, feminine xkubettiera)

xkubettiera (plural)
xkubettiera (feminine)


korla

Borrowed from Sicilian corla, metathesis of còlira (“rage”), from Latin cholera, from Ancient Greek χολέρα (kholéra, “gastrointestinal disease”). For the sense compare choleric.


radju

Borrowed from Italian radio, from English radio, short for radiotelegraphy.


radju

Borrowed from Italian radio, from French radium.


ħejm

From Arabic هَيْم (haym), verbal noun of هَامَ (hāma, “to be madly in love”).

ħajm (alternative)
hejm (alternative)
hajm (alternative)


lingwaġġ

Borrowed from Italian linguaggio, from Old Occitan lenguatge, from Vulgar Latin *linguāticum.

a specific form of language, e.g. that of some person or group; diction, parlance, jargon, lingo


għaqba

From Arabic عَقَبَة (ʕaqaba, “mountain pass, steep ascent, obstacle”).


għeqiebi

/ɛˤːˈʔɪː.bɪ/


fejġel

From Arabic فَيْجَل (fayjal), variant of فَيْجَن (fayjan), from Aramaic פיגנא (peygānā), from Ancient Greek πήγανον (pḗganon).


ċirkonċiżjoni

mt-noun

ċirkonċiżjoni f (plural ċirkonċiżjonijiet)

Borrowed from Italian circoncisione, from Latin circumcisio.


lellux

lelluxa (singulative)
lelluxiet (plural)

From a dialectal Arabic lallūš or lālūš, said to be of Berber origin.

garland chrysanthemum
garland chrysanthemum

Glebionis coronaria
Glebionis coronaria#Translingual

garland chrysanthemum (Glebionis coronaria) (yellow flower)


ġidra

(figuratively) an ignorant, stupid person


tmun

Borrowed from Sicilian timuni, from Latin temo. The word was also borrowed independently into Arabic as دُومان (dūmān).


eżerċtu

Borrowed from Italian esercito, from Latin exercitus.


merċa

Borrowed from Italian merce and/or Sicilian merci, both from Latin merx.

(uncountable) groceries, goods of daily consumption


ħanut tal-merċa

ħanut tal-merċa m (plural ħwienet tal-merċa)


qannuba

From Arabic. Related with قُنْب (qunb, “clitoris”).

L-irġiel ma jafux fejn qiegħda l-qannuba.


żagħka

Inherited from a Maghrebi Arabic word for “posterior”. Compare Tunisian Arabic زعكة (zaʕka, “woman’s buttocks”). Probably at first used for a homosexual man (treated as the main sense by Vassalli) and then generalised.

cog

(vulgar) a person of doubtful sexual morals

(male) an effeminate man, catamite, or homosexual

a person of doubtful sexual morals
a whore, slut


sinjal

Borrowed from Sicilian signali, from Latin signale.


qalb minfuda b'sejf in-niket

qalb minfuda b’ sejf in- niket (canonical feminine)

Literally: “a heart pierced by the sword of grief”. After Luke 2:35, where the Virgin Mary is told a sword will pierce her soul, which is generally interpreted as a reference to her watching the death of her son.

(idiomatic) a grieving heart, broken heart; said of the Virgin Mary, but also generally of a mother who has lost a child


Ħal

Alternative form of raħal (“village”) used in placenames


kunjat

mt-noun

kunjat m (plural kunjati, feminine kunjata)

Borrowed from Sicilian cugnatu, from Latin cognatus.

a parent in-law, i.e. related by way of marriage


parrinu

parrinu m (plural parrini, feminine parrina)

Borrowed from Sicilian parrinu, from Early Medieval Latin patrīnus.


għonnella

għonnella f (plural għenienel, diminutive għejnilla)

għenienel (plural)
għejnilla (diminutive)

From older Sicilian *gunnella (now gunnedda) and/or Italian gonnella, from a diminutive of Latin gonna, whence also English gown. The replacement of /ɡ/ with /ɣ/ is unusual even in early borrowings. At any rate it requires that the borrowing occurred before the beginning of the merger of /ɣ/ with /ʕ/, thus earlier than 1700.

(historical, folklore) kind of head covering worn by Maltese women (generally until the 19th c. and occasionally still in the earlier 20th c.), most typically in the form of a long shawl with a stiff hem, creating a wide hood over the wearer’s head

(obsolete) women’s overgarment more generally


għenienel

/ɛˤːˈnɪː.nɛl/

/ɣɛˈnɪː.nɛl/


rukkell

From older Sicilian *rucchellu (now ruccheddu), from a diminutive of Latin rocca (“distaff”), itself from Proto-Germanic *rukkô.

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


sagrifiċċju

Borrowed from Italian sacrificio and/or Sicilian sacrificiu, sacrifizziu, both from Latin sacrificium.

(religion) sacrifice, offering (act of giving something up willingly in order to honour a deity; that which is so offered)

(by extension) sacrifice (act of giving something up for the sake of something more important or pressing)


nkejja

verbal noun of neka: teasing, annoying, spite


ngħam

ngħama (singulative)
ngħamiet (paucal)
nagħam (alternative)


nagħma

singulative of nagħam, itself an alternative spelling of ngħam


tiġijiet

/tɪ.d͡ʒɪˈjɪːt/


nagħġiet

/naˤːˈd͡ʒɪːt/


truxija

truxiti (first-person singular)
truxitna (first-person singular)
truxitek (second-person singular)
truxitkom (second-person singular)
truxitu (masculine singular third-person)
truxitha (feminine singular third-person)
truxithom (singular third-person)


mazzun

(figurative) gullible (someone easily deceived or duped, naive)


kuxjenza

Borrowed from Sicilian cuscienza, from Latin conscientia.

conscience (inner sense of morality; the attitude to one’s actions that it creates)


glorja

Borrowed from Italian gloria, from Latin gloria.


tiġrib

verbal noun of ġarrab: test, trial, temptation


frugħ

verbal noun of forogħ: ebb, the receding of the sea


għagħa

From Arabic غَاغَة (ḡāḡa, “mob, crowd”). The word is an extreme example of how the loss/vowelisation of għ has weakened the phonetic shapes of many words in Maltese. One might think that għagħa would subsequently have come out of use, but it remains common.


żebbiegħ

żebbiegħ m (plural żebbiegħa, feminine żebbiegħa)


żbigħ

verbal noun of żebagħ: colouring, painting, varnishing, dyeing


pittur

pittur m (plural pitturi, feminine pittur or pittura)

pitturi (plural)
pittur (feminine)
pittura (feminine)

Borrowed from Sicilian pitturi, from Latin pictor.


grazzja

Borrowed from Sicilian grazzia and/or Italian grazia, both from Latin gratia.


sliema

Ħuh wasal bis-sliema.


burqax

Inherited from dialectal Arabic بُرْقاش (burqāš).

Serranus scriba
Serranus scriba#Translingual

painted comber (Serranus scriba, a fish)


forka

Borrowed from Sicilian furca and/or Italian forca, both from Latin furca.


bixra

From Arabic بَشَرَة (bašara, “skin, especially its surface”).

inh

appearance (the way someone or something looks, appears)


felul

Arabic ثُؤْلُول (ṯuʔlūl)

Għall-wiċċ t’Adam, u t-trabiet żgħira
u l-frak ċkejkuna miegħu sfaw meħula,
u saru nemex; żrara ċkejkna u tonda
baqgħet meħula wkoll, saret felula.

1966, Anton Buttigieg, “In-Nemex”, in Ejjew Nidħku Ftit Ieħor:


tgħalliq

/taˤːlˈlɪːʔ/

verbal noun of għallaq: hanging (as a form of execution)

verbal noun of tgħallaq: hanging (as a form of suicide)


tpaċpiċ

verbal noun of paċpaċ: talk, chat, babbling


fjamma

mt-noun

fjamma f (plural fjammi or (rare) fjamem)

Borrowed from Italian fiamma, from Latin flamma.


ġawhriet

paucal of ġawhar: 2 to 10 jewels, pearls


difa

Alternative form: diefa


kexxun

kexxun m (plural kxaxen or kxiexen, diminutive kxajxen or kxejxen)

kxaxen (plural)
kxiexen (plural)
kxajxen (diminutive)
kxejxen (diminutive)


kuntest

Borrowed from Sicilian cuntestu, from Latin contextus.

Din il-kelma għandha tifsiriet differenti skont il-kuntest tagħha.

This word has different meanings depending on its context.


skont

Borrowed from Italian sconto, from Latin discomputus.


traċċa

Borrowed from Sicilian traccia and/or Italian traccia, both derived from Vulgar Latin *tractiāre, itself from Latin tractus.


mixja

singulative of mixi: a walk, an instance of walking

il-mixja tal-ħajja


tafal

tafla (singulative)
itfla (obsolete plural)
utfla (obsolete plural)


kuruna

Borrowed from Sicilian curuna, from Latin corona, from Ancient Greek κορώνη (korṓnē).


mexxej

mexxej m (plural mexxejja, feminine mexxejja)


għaġeb

/ˈaˤː.d͡ʒɛp/


stagħġib

verbal noun of stagħġeb: the state of being amazed, astonished, surprised


tgħaġġib

verbal noun of għaġġeb: the act of amazing, astonishing, surprising

għaġġeb

verbal noun of tgħaġġeb: the state of being amazed, astonished, surprised


għeġubija

Possibly an extended form of Arabic أُعْجُوبة (ʔuʕjūba, “wonder”). Otherwise derived from the root with the Maltese abstract-noun measure.

(uncountable) the quality of being amazing, astonishing, surprising

(countable) something amazing, astonishing, surprising; a marvel, wonder


fetqa

fetqa f (plural fetqiet, diminutive ftejqa)


bażwa

From Arabic بَزْو (bazw), verbal noun of بَزَا (bazā), which refers to a deforming protrusion of a body part (chest, belly, back, or posterior).


ernja

Borrowed from Italian ernia, from Latin hernia.


żejt fil-bażwa

Literally: “oil on a hernia”, because it has no healing effect.

(idiomatic) something done in vain, a futile course of action


ħorma

From Arabic حِرْمة (ḥirma, “sexual desire”, especially of female animals “heat, rut”).


ndiema

verbal noun of nidem: repentance, remorse


regħxa

From Arabic رِعْشَة (riʕša, “trembling, quivering”).


għajxa

From Arabic عَيْش (ʕayš), perhaps merged with عِيشة (ʕīša).


għajxa

Uncertain. One may compare the verb għajjex (“to keep alive, earn livelihood”), but the sense is only a vague match and the formation is entirely unclear. Therefore it may be noted that De Soldanis in one of his colloquial dialogues includes an upper-class lady who owns two Muslim maids called Għajxa and Fatma. It is conceivable that the Arabic name عائِشة (ʕāʔiša, “Aisha”) was seen as a prototypical maid's name and developed into an appellative. (The Maltese Order retaliated against the Ottoman slave raids, which habitually targeted Malta and the waters around it, by developing its own trade in Muslim slaves.)

(obsolete) governess, maid in the household


għeltu

third-person masculine singular pronominal form of għelt: his mistake


għeltijiet

/ɛˤːl.tɪˈjɪːt/


xhir

verbal noun of xeher: lamenting, wailing, loud crying


rajna

first-person plural pronominal form of raj


taqtiq

verbal noun of taqtaq: palpitation, heavy heartbeat


xirja

a shopping tour or errand, an instance of shopping


għażil

verbal noun of għażel (“to choose, select”)


ażil

Borrowed from Italian asilo, from Latin asylum, from Ancient Greek ἄσυλον (ásulon).

(uncountable) asylum (status granted by a country to foreigners)

(countable) asylum, refuge, shelter (place of safety)


rifuġju

Borrowed from Italian rifugio, from Latin refugium.

refuge, shelter, asylum (place of safety)


rifuġjat

mt-noun

rifuġjat m (plural rifuġjati, feminine rifuġjata)

rifuġjati (plural)
rifuġjata (feminine)
refuġjat (alternative)


għażżiel

għażżiel m (plural għażżiela or għażżelin, feminine għażżiela)

għażżiela (plural)
għażżelin (plural)
għażżiela (feminine)


tpinġija

tpinġijiet (plural)
tpenġija (alternative)

(uncountable) the act or art of painting, drawing, depicting

verbal noun of pinġa
(countable) picture, painting, drawing

verbal noun of pinġa
picture, painting, drawing


tpittir

verbal noun of pitter: the act or art of painting, drawing, depicting


ġemgħat

/d͡ʒɛˈmaˤːt/


ġmiegħi

/ˈd͡ʒmɪː.əˤj/


ftuħ

verbal noun of fetaħ:
opening; prologue; preface


trabixù

trabixujiet (plural)
trabuxù (alternative)

From French tire-bouchon, probably through Italian tirabusciò.


rġigħ

/(ɪ)rˈd͡ʒɪːħ/

verbal noun of reġa’: the act of returning, coming back, doing again


reġgħa

a return, an instance of coming back or doing again


reġgħat

/rɛˈd͡ʒaˤːt/


treġġigħ

/trɛdˈd͡ʒɪːħ/

verbal noun of reġġa’: the act of bringing back, giving back, returning


thellil

verbal noun of hellel: praising, lauding


tifħir

(religion) praise, glorification (of God)


naġġar

naġġar m (plural naġġara, feminine naġġara)

From Arabic نَجّار (najjār, “carpenter”).

stonemason (artisan who prepares and dresses stone)


mastrudaxxa

mastrudaxxa m or f by sense (plural mastrudaxxi)

Borrowed from Sicilian mastru d’ascia (literally “axe master”).


tagħdib

inh

Arabic تَعْذِيب (taʕḏīb)

verbal noun of għaddeb: (archaic) punishment


tgħaddib

verbal noun of għaddab: the act of angering


gwerrier

mt-noun

gwerrier m (plural gwerriera or gwerrieri, feminine gwerriera)

gwerriera (plural)
gwerrieri (plural)
gwerriera (feminine)

Borrowed from Sicilian guerrieru and/or Italian guerriero. By surface analysis, gwerra + -ier.

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

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


medda

From Arabic مُدَّة (mudda, “while, length of time”).

inh

F’medda ta’ għaxar snin kisret diversi rekords dinjin.

Over a length of ten years she broke several world records.

Sadattant, mal-medda tas-snin dan l-antagoniżmu anti-Semitiku baqa’ dejjem jiżdied, anki fost il-Ġermaniżi.

2022, Alfred Massa, Il-Ħarba, Horizons, →ISBN, page 6:


messaġġ

Borrowed from Italian messaggio, from Old French message, from Latin missaticum.

message (short text that is sent, especially electronically)


xini

mt-noun

xini m (plural xwieni, diminutive (obsolete) xwejni)

xwieni (plural)
xwejni (diminutive obsolete)

Back-formation from the plural xwieni, from Arabic شَوَانٍ (šawānin), plural of شَوْنَة (šawna).


nassab

nassab m (plural nassaba, feminine nassaba)


xlief

xlief m (plural xolfa or xlefijiet or (Gozo) ixilfa)

xolfa (plural)
xlefijiet (plural)
ixilfa (plural)

Probably from the dialectal Arabic verb for “to throw” mentioned at xellef.


lixka

Borrowed from Sicilian isca (with fused definite article), from Latin esca.


kalċi

Borrowed from Sicilian càlici, from Latin calix.

chalice, goblet (any large drinking vessel with a stem)


qdieħ

Singularisation of Arabic أَقْداح (ʔaqdāḥ), plural of قَدَح (qadaḥ).


maqjel

maqjel m (plural mqajel or mqawel or mqajjel or mwieqel, diminutive (archaic) mqajjel)

mqajel (plural)
mqawel (plural)
mqajjel (plural)
mwieqel (plural)
mqajjel (archaic diminutive)

From an alteration (*maqyal) of Arabic مَقِيل (maqīl, “resting place”).

pen, sty, stall (fenced area or compartment for animals)


loppju

With fused definite article from Italian oppio, from Latin opium.


kunsill

Borrowed from Sicilian cunsigliu, from Latin consilium.


skansafaċendi

Derived from Italian scansare la faccenda (literally “to avoid the task/work”). By surface analysis, skansa + faċendi.


nassar

mt-noun

nassar m (plural nassarin, feminine nassara)


tuqit

Alternative form of tewqit: verbal noun of waqqat: timing


maqrut

From dialectal Arabic مَقْرُوط (maqrūṭ), from مَقْرُوض (maqrūḍ).


għajla

għajla f (plural għejiel, paucal għajliet)

inh

Arabic عَائِلَة (ʕāʔila)


sarraġ

mt-noun

sarraġ m (plural sarraġa or sarraġin, feminine sarraġa)

sarraġa (plural)
sarraġin (plural)
sarraġa (feminine)


msenna

msenna f (plural msenen, paucal msenniet)


mitbaħ

Altar of sacrifice present in the megalithic temples

(obsolete) Alternative form of matbaħ: kitchen


tewq

tewq tal-klieb


bħajra

From Arabic بُحَيْرَة (buḥayra). By surface analysis, diminutive of baħar. Compare Moroccan Arabic and Tunisian Arabic بحيرة (bḥīra, “vegetable garden, lake”).


tislim

verbal noun of sellem: greeting, salutation


Eġizzjan

mt-noun

Eġizzjan m (plural Eġizzjani, feminine Eġizzjana)

Egyptian (native or inhabitant of Egypt) (usually male)


orinġ

Alternative form of oranġjo: orange (colour)


żnieda

żnieda f (plural żnidiet, diminutive żnejjed)

żnidiet (plural)
żnejjed (diminutive)
żnada (alternative)


żgħorija

żgħoriti (first-person singular)
żgħoritna (first-person singular)
żgħoritek (second-person singular)
żgħoritkom (second-person singular)
żgħoritu (masculine singular third-person)
żgħoritha (feminine singular third-person)
żgħorithom (singular third-person)
żgħurija (alternative)


mixtla

mixtla f (plural mxietel, paucal mixtliet)


għexiewi

/ɛˤːˈʃɪː.wɪ/


inkwiet

Borrowed from Sicilian nquietu and/or Italian inquieto, both from Latin inquietus.


miżbla

miżbla f (plural miżbliet, diminutive mżejbla)

miżbliet (plural)
mżejbla (diminutive)
miżbel (alternative)


bagħdan

bgħadan (plural)
bagħdani (plural)
bagħdam (alternative obsolete)

Alteration of older bagħdam, probably from *bugħ(a)dam, from bu + għadam, literally “the one with the bones”, probably referring to its pellet. Għadam is here an obsolete plural from Arabic عِظام (ʕiẓām), which explains the final stress.

af

western marsh harrier
western marsh harrier

harrier, especially the western marsh harrier


blonġun

Podiceps cristatus
Podiceps cristatus#Translingual

great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus)


gallozz

From a variant form of Sicilian gadduzzu d'acqua.


agrett

agretti (plural)
egrett (alternative)
igrett (alternative)


qatta

Probably singulative of Arabic قَثّ (qaṯṯ, “collecting, gathering”).


xemxati

/ʃɛmˈʃaː.tɪ/


perżut

perżuta (singulative)
prieżet (plural)
perżutiet (paucal)

Borrowed from Italian presciutto, variant of prosciutto.


ltejjem

mt-noun

ltejjem m (plural ltejmin, feminine ltejma)


abbatija

abbatija f (plural abbatiji or abbatijiet)


labatija

labatija f (plural labatiji or labatijiet)


inġil

Inherited from Arabic إنْجِيل (ʔinjīl). Eventually from Ancient Greek εὐαγγέλιον (euangélion, “good tidings”), whence also the contemporary words (through Latin and Italian).


appostlu

Borrowed from Sicilian apòstulu, from Latin apostolus, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (apóstolos).

(Christianity) apostle (leading disciple of Jesus)


ħorġa

mt-noun

ħorġa f (plural ħoroġ or ħrieġ or ħorġiet, diminutive ħrajġa or ħrejġa or ħrejjeġ)

ħoroġ (plural)
ħrieġ (plural)
ħorġiet (plural)
ħrajġa (diminutive)
ħrejġa (diminutive)
ħrejjeġ (diminutive)
ħorġ (alternative)


ħliefa

From Arabic غِلاف (ḡilāf). The devoiced onset is due to a merger of the Arabic roots غ ل ف (ḡ l f) and خ ل ف (ḵ l f) in Maltese. Vassalli gives the verb ħellef, ħallef (“to peel, husk”) with both /ɣ/ and /x/, and does the same, vice versa, with ħlief (“except”). The semantic interface between them was probably the idea that the husk is that which is excluded and discarded.


tertuqa

tertuqa f (plural trietaq, paucal tertuqiet)


qubbajt

From Arabic قُبَّيْط (qubbayṭ). Cognate with Sicilian cubbàita, cupeta.


ġejbien

/d͡ʒɛjˈbɪːn/


rokokò

Borrowed from Italian rococò, from French rococo.


rqajgħa

diminutive of roqgħa: small patch (for mending clothes)


għadwa

għedwa (alternative)
għaduwa (alternative)


għenejqed

/ɛˤːˈnɛj.ʔɛt/


skjav

skjav m (plural skjavi, feminine skjava)

skjavi (plural)
skjava (feminine)
iskjav (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian schiavo, from Latin sclavus.


disperazzjoni

Borrowed from Italian disperazione, from Latin desperatio.


qtigħ il-qalb

/ˌʔtɪː.ħ‿ɪlˈʔalp/

verbal noun of qata’ qalbu: despair, desperation


qtigħ

verbal noun of qata’: the act of cutting


ħorża

From Arabic خُرْزة (ḵurza, “seam, stitch, round hole”).


tlajjar

verbal noun of tlajja: loitering, lingering, strolling


togħbija

mt-noun

togħbija f (plural togħbijiet or tgħabi)


reħu

verbal noun of reħa: slackening, release


żarġun

żarġuna (singulative)
żraġen (plural)
żarġuniet (paucal)
żrajġen (diminutive)

From Arabic زَرْجُون (zarjūn). See there for more.


żeffien

żeffien m (plural żeffiena, feminine żeffiena)


belgħun

From Arabic بَلْغَم (balḡam), from Ancient Greek φλέγμα (phlégma).


bewwieb

bewwieb m (plural bewwieba, feminine bewwieba)


qaduma

qaduma f (plural qdajjem, paucal qadumiet)


qamsa

qamsa f (plural qamsiet, diminutive qmajsa or qmejsa)

qamsiet (plural)
qmajsa (diminutive)
qmejsa (diminutive)


qannata

qannata f (plural qnanet, diminutive qnajta)


qannata tal-bewl

qannata tal-bewl f (plural qnanet tal-bewl)


ħdurija

ħduriti (first-person singular)
ħduritna (first-person singular)
ħduritek (second-person singular)
ħduritkom (second-person singular)
ħduritu (masculine singular third-person)
ħduritha (feminine singular third-person)
ħdurithom (singular third-person)


ambaxxatriċi

ambaxxatriċi f (plural ambaxxatriċi, masculine ambaxxatur)

ambaxxatriċi (plural)
ambaxxatur (masculine)

female equivalent of ambaxxatur: ambassadress


ambaxxatur

ambaxxatur m (plural ambaxxaturi, feminine ambaxxatriċi)

ambaxxaturi (plural)
ambaxxatriċi (feminine)


ċaqliq

/t͡ʃaʔˈlɪːʔ/


ċaqċiq

/t͡ʃaʔˈt͡ʃɪːʔ/


ċaqċieqa

/t͡ʃaʔˈt͡ʃɪː.ʔa/


ċappella

ċappella f (plural ċpapel or ċpiepel, diminutive ċpajpla or ċpajpella)

ċpapel (plural)
ċpiepel (plural)
ċpajpla (diminutive)
ċpajpella (diminutive)
ċeppella (alternative)

From a diminutive form of Sicilian ciappa.


ċeppella

ċeppella f (plural ċpiepel or ċeppelli, diminutive ċpejpla)

ċpiepel (plural)
ċeppelli (plural)
ċpejpla (diminutive)


xħuħija

xħuħiti (first-person singular)
xħuħitna (first-person singular)
xħuħitek (second-person singular)
xħuħitkom (second-person singular)
xħuħitu (masculine singular third-person)
xħuħitha (feminine singular third-person)
xħuħithom (singular third-person)


pappagall

(figuratively) parrot (person who repeats what was said)


konfigurazzjoni

konfigurazzjoni f (plural konfigurazzjonijiet)


konfessur

confessor (one who confesses faith in Christianity)


konfessjonarju

konfessjonarju m (plural konfessjonarji)

konfessjonarji (plural)
kunfessjonarju (alternative)
kunfissinarju (alternative colloquial)

(Christianity) confessional (small room where confession is performed)


kunfessjonarju

kunfessjonarju m (plural kunfessjonarji)

(Christianity) Alternative form of konfessjonarju: confessional (small room where confession is performed)


kunfissinarju

(Christianity, colloquial) Alternative form of konfessjonarju: confessional (small room where confession is performed)


saġġa

saġġi (plural)
siġeġ (plural)
siġġa (alternative)


siġġa

(Christianity) Alternative form of saġġa: confessional (small room where confession is performed)


elettriċista

elettriċista m or f by sense (plural elettriċisti)


elettrizzazzjoni

elettrizzazzjoni f (plural elettrizzazzjonijiet)


fakkin

Borrowed from Italian facchino (“porter”), of uncertain origin.


kżarneviċċ

mt-noun

kżarneviċċ m (plural kżarneviċċi, feminine kżarevna)

kżarneviċċi (plural)
kżarevna (feminine)


madumier

madumier m (plural madumiera, feminine madumiera)


inabbilitazzjoni

inabbilitazzjoni f (plural inabbilitazzjonijiet)


miżmer

Related to Arabic مِزْمَار (mizmār, “adulterer”).


għaġin

/aˤːˈd͡ʒiːn/

(uncountable) verbal noun of għaġen: kneading


għaġin

/aˤːˈd͡ʒiːn/


magħġen

magħġen m (plural mgħaġen, paucal magħġniet, diminutive mgħajġna)

mgħaġen (plural)
magħġniet (paucal)
mgħajġna (diminutive)


ġjufija

ġjufiti (first-person singular)
ġjufitna (first-person singular)
ġjufitek (second-person singular)
ġjufitkom (second-person singular)
ġjufitu (masculine singular third-person)
ġjufitha (feminine singular third-person)
ġjufithom (singular third-person)


prinċipessa

prinċipessa f (plural prinċipessi, masculine prinċep)

prinċipessi (plural)
prinċep (masculine)


prinċep

prinċep m (plural prinċpijiet, feminine prinċipessa)

prinċpijiet (plural)
prinċipessa (feminine)


maqbar

From Arabic مَقْبَر (maqbar, “tomb, grave; graveyard”).


takkun

From Italian tacco with an augmentative suffix.


tarraf

mt-noun

tarraf m (plural tarrafa or tarrafin, feminine tarrafa)

tarrafa (plural)
tarrafin (plural)
tarrafa (feminine)


tarfien

Alternative form of turfien: exile; banishment


tarzna

tarzni (plural)
trazen (plural)
tarznar (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian dàrsina, from Ligurian tersaná, from Arabic دَار اَلصِّنَاعَة (dār aṣ-ṣināʕa, “industry house”).

der

دَار اَلصِّنَاعَة


tarznar

Alternative form of tarzna: dockyard, shipyard


garaxx

Borrowed from Italian garage, from French garage.

garage (building or room where cars are parked)


karfus

karfusa (singulative)
krafes (plural)
karfusiet (paucal)

By back-formation from the plural krafes, from a variant of Arabic كَرَفْس (karafs) reinterpreted as a plural form. Compare Moroccan Arabic كرافس (krāfis, “celery”), Tunisian Arabic كرافس (krāfis, “celery”).


manbar

manbar nar

a chair on which pregnant women gave birth

(Roman Catholicism) confessional (small room where confession is performed)


xnien

From Arabic أُشْنَان (ʔušnān), شِنَان (šinān).

inh

Arabic أُشْنَان (ʔušnān)


xnien abjad

small white clover (Trifolium nigrescens)


xnien midfun

subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum)


xnien moħbi

/ˌʃnɪːn ˈmɔħ.bɪ/

suffocated clover, small-cluster clover (Trifolium suffocatum)


xnien tal-għelieqi

/ˌʃnɪːn ta.lɛˈlɪː.ʔɪ/

/ˌʃnɪːn ta.lɛˤːˈlɪː.ʔɪ/

/ˌʃnɪːn tal.ɣɛˈlɪː.ʔɪ/

Trifolium pratense
Trifolium pratense#Translingual


ġmiegħa

/ˈd͡ʒmɪː.aˤ/


ferkun

frieken (plural)
ferqun (alternative)
furkun (alternative)


fgura

mt-noun

fgura f (plural fgajjar, diminutive fgajra)


fgajra

(nautical) diminutive of fgura: small figurehead


boqxiex

inh

Arabic بَقْشِيش (baqšīš)


brajma

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:


brinġiel

brinġiela (singulative)
brinġiliet (paucal)


burikba

From Arabic أَبُو رُكْبَة (ʔabū rukba, “kohlrabi”). By surface analysis, bu + rkoppa.

أَبُو رُكْبَة

Mercurialis annua
Mercurialis annua#Translingual


burokba

Alternative form of burikba: annual mercury (Mercurialis annua)


buriħa

Melissa officinalis
Melissa officinalis#Translingual


buswejd

buswejda (singulative)
buswejdiet (paucal)
busewdien (alternative)

Back-formation from the singulative buswejda, from bu + swejda.

Sylvia melanocephala
Sylvia melanocephala#Translingual

Sardinian warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)


presepju

presepji (plural)
prasepju (alternative colloquial)

Borrowed from Sicilian prisepiu and/or Italian presepio, both from Latin praesaepium.


taħsir

verbal noun of ħassar: rot, decay, corruption


ħasar

From Arabic خَسْر (ḵasr), خَسَر (ḵasar).


qabda

mt-noun

qabda f (dual qabdtejn, plural qbadi, paucal qabdiet)

qabdtejn (dual)
qbadi (plural)
qabdiet (paucal)

Il-qassis jerfa’ minnha qabda smid biż-żejt u l-inċens ta’ fuq l-offerta, u jaħraq kollox fuq l-artal, ħruq b’riħa tfuħ b’tifkira quddiem il-Mulej.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Levitiku 6:8:

New International Version translation: The priest is to take a handful of the finest flour and some olive oil, together with all the incense on the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

qabda bgħula.


bagħla

bagħla f (plural bgħula or ibgħal or bgħal, diminutive bgħajla)

bgħula (plural)
ibgħal (plural)
bgħal (plural)
bgħajla (diminutive)


għamad

għamad m (plural għamied or għemad or għemiedi)

għamied (plural)
għemad (plural)
għemiedi (plural)

blindfold (a covering, usually a bandage, for the eyes)


stupratur

stupraturi (plural)
istupratur (alternative)

From stupra + -atur, after Italian stupratore, from Latin stuprator.


stupru

Borrowed from Italian stupro, from Latin stuprum.


tehdida

a threat, a single instance of threatening


radda

radda f (dual raddtejn, plural raddi, paucal raddiet)

raddtejn (dual)
raddi (plural)
raddiet (paucal)

wake (the path left behind a ship on the surface of the water)


raġġiera

halo, aureole (a circle of light or halo around the head of a deity)


sfinġa

From Arabic إِسْفَنْج (ʔisfanj), from Ancient Greek σπόγγος (spóngos).

a type of fried pastry, similar to Maghrebi sfanj.


silwett

Borrowed from English silhouette, from French silhouette.


tisniġ

verbal noun of senneġ: hardening of bread (in an oven)


sniġ

verbal noun of sineġ: baking until hard (especially bread)


mejjilla

From an older form of Sicilian maìdda (“kneading trough”).


mejda tal-ikel

mejda tal-ikel f (plural mwejjed tal-ikel or mejdiet tal-ikel)

mwejjed tal-ikel (plural)
mejdiet tal-ikel (plural)


mejda tal-mera

mejda tal-mera f (plural mwejjed tal-mera or mejdiet tal-mera)

mwejjed tal-mera (plural)
mejdiet tal-mera (plural)


mejda tal-mogħdija

mejda tal-mogħdija f (plural mwejjed tal-mogħdija or mejdiet tal-mogħdija)

mwejjed tal-mogħdija (plural)
mejdiet tal-mogħdija (plural)


mejlieq

mejlieq m (plural mejlieqa, feminine mejlieqa)


misraħ

misraħ m (plural msieraħ, diminutive msejraħ)


sieqja

sieqja f (plural swieqi, diminutive swejqa)


misqa

msieqi (plural)
misqja (alternative)
misqwa (alternative)


misqja

Alternative form of misqa: watering trough


swejqa

diminutive of sieqja: a small aqueduct, a small water channel


saqi

verbal noun of seqa: watering, irrigation


sellum bir-riġel

sellum bir-riġel m (plural slielem bir-riġel)


sellum tal-ħabel

sellum tal-ħabel m (plural slielem tal-ħabel)

slielem tal-ħabel (plural)
sellum tal-ħbula (alternative)


sellum tal-ħbula

sellum tal-ħbula m (plural slielem tal-ħbula)

slielem tal-ħbula (plural)
sellum tal-ħabel (alternative)


serduk

serduk m (plural sriedek, diminutive srejdek)

Alternative form of serduq: cock, rooster (male chicken)


srejdeq

srejdqiet (plural)
srejdek (alternative)


srejdek

srejdkiet (plural)
srejdeq (alternative)


sessologu

sessologu m (plural sessologi, feminine sessologa)


skwerra

skwerri (plural)
skwerer (plural)
skorra (alternative)
skurra (alternative)
skwarra (alternative)
sgerra (alternative)


skuna

Borrowed from Italian scuna and/or Sicilian scuna.


tajra

tjur (plural)
tjar (plural)
tajriet (paucal)


tajjar

tajjar m (plural tajjara or tajjarin, feminine tajjara)

tajjara (plural)
tajjarin (plural)
tajjara (feminine)


tajjar

tajjara (singulative)
tajjariet (paucal)


teknokrata

teknokrata m or f by sense (plural teknokrati)


tellisa

tellisa f (plural tlieles, paucal tellisiet)


tentufa

tentufa f (plural tnietef, paucal tentufiet)

From dialectal Arabic تَنْتُوفَة (tantūfa).


tewqima

a pile of straw, wheat on a threshing floor


mitbna

Alternative form of mitben: storage place for straw


tienja

Borrowed from Italian tigna and/or Sicilian tigna.


tjubija

tjubiti (first-person singular)
tjubitna (first-person singular)
tjubitek (second-person singular)
tjubitkom (second-person singular)
tjubitu (masculine singular third-person)
tjubitha (feminine singular third-person)
tjubithom (singular third-person)

tjubija tal-qalb


tjieba

tjieba tal-qalb


tieba

tieba tal-qalb


użufrutt

użufrutti (plural)
użufrott (alternative)


użufrott

(law) Alternative form of użufrutt: usufruct


versett

Borrowed from Italian versetto and/or Sicilian versettu.


vjaġġant

vjaġġant m (plural vjaġġanti, feminine vjaġġanta)


vjaġġatur

vjaġġatur m (plural vjaġġaturi, feminine vjaġġatura)

vjaġġaturi (plural)
vjaġġatura (feminine)

Borrowed from Italian viaggiatore and/or Sicilian viaggiaturi.


żafżaf

żafżafa (singulative)
żafżafiet (paucal)
safsaf (alternative)

inh

Arabic صَفْصَاف (ṣafṣāf)

Qgħadt bilqiegħda taħt iż-żafżafa u ħassejt il-weraq jagħraxni.

I sat under the willow tree and I felt its leaves tickling me.


safsaf

safsafa (singulative)
safsafiet (paucal)

Alternative form of żafżaf: willow (Salix gen. et spp.)