ċpar

Maltese

Etymology

Uncertain. Possibly related to Egyptian Arabic شبورة‎ (šabbūra), also شابورة‎ (šābūra, “mist”). Since sonorants are often used to extend roots, the final r need not be original. In that case, it may pertain to Arabic شُؤْبُوب‎ (šuʾbūb, “shower of hail or rain, vehemence of heat”, and in one old source “thin rain cloud”), itself perhaps related with شَوْب‎ (šawb, “state of being mixed, turbid, dim”, in modern dialects also “hot wind, heat”). Joseph Aquilina instead suggested a Romance etymology from a derivative of Sicilian ghioviri, chioviri, chiuppiri (“to rain”), from Latin pluere. In the end both theories passably explain the consonantism, but the vocalic form remains very unclear.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ʃpaːr/

Noun

ċpar m

1. fog

Verb

ċpar (imperfect jiċpar)

1. (obsolete) Alternative form of ċċajpar (“to become foggy”)