rukkell

Maltese

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rukˈkɛll/

Noun

rukkell m (plural rkiekel or rukkelli)

1. reel, spool, bobbin

   Synonym: (dated or Gozitan) mkebba

2. (Gozo, Mellieħa) vertebra
   • 2022, Nadia Mifsud, meta tinfetaq il-folla, Ede Books, →ISBN:

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

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)