milgħaqa

Maltese

Root
l-għ-q
5 terms

Etymology

From Arabic مِلْعَقة (milʕaqa, “spoon”, literally “licking tool”).

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɪˈlaː.ʔa/
• IPA^(key): /mɪˈlaˤː.ʔa/ (archaic)

Noun

milgħaqa f (plural milgħaqiet)

1. teaspoon, coffee spoon

   Synonym: (commoner) kuċċarina

See also

• mgħarfa