𐤌𐤋𐤈

Phoenician

Etymology

Cognate with Hebrew מָלַט (malat, “escape”).

Noun

𐤌𐤋𐤈 (mlṭ)

1. refuge
2. harbor
3. port

Proper noun

𐤌𐤋𐤈 (mlṭ)

1. Grand Harbor (a bay on the island of Malta, Malta)
2. Cospicua (a port city on the island of Malta, Malta)

Descendants

• (probable) Ancient Greek: Μελίτη (Melítē)
  • → Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܡܝܼܠܹܛܵܐ (mīleṭa)
  • → French: Mélitè
  • → Latin: Melite
    • English: Melite
  • Latin: Melita, Melitē, Malta
    • → Arabic: مَالِطَا (māliṭā)
      • Maltese: Malta (see there for further descendants)
      • → Ottoman Turkish: مالطه (malta)
        • Turkish: Malta
      • → South Levantine Arabic: مالطا (mālṭa)
    • English: Melita
    • → Proto-Slavic: *Mьlětъ
      • Serbo-Croatian: Mljet
        • → English: Mljet
        • → Greek: Μλιετ (Mliet)
    • Venetian: Meleda
      • → Italian: Meleda
        • → English: Meleda (obsolete)

References

• Vella, John (January 2023), "Greek Words in Maltese Harbour Toponymy", Athens Journal of Mediterranean Studies, vol. 9, pp. 25–52.