qlajja

Maltese

Alternative forms

qlajja’ (perhaps nonstandard)

Etymology

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.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈʔlaj.ja/

Noun

qlajja f (plural qlajjiet)

slanderous rumour