merħla

Maltese

Root
r-ħ-l
4 terms

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈmɛr.ħla/
Audio: (file)

Noun

merħla f (plural mrieħel, paucal merħliet)

herd, flock