qift

Albanian

Etymology

Shortening of *qiftër, from Medieval Greek ξιφτέρι, ἐξιφτέριν (xiphtéri, exiphtérin), from Latin accipiter (“hawk”). According to Orel, borrowed directly from Latin accipiter (“vulture”), for the loss of the last syllable see mbret. Doublet of skifter.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /cift/
• Rhymes: -ift

Noun

qift m (plural qifte, definite qifti, definite plural qiftet)

1. kite (Milvus)

   Synonyms: kaçubet, hutë

2. (regional) falcon, hawk

   Synonym: skifter

Hyponyms

• qift i kuqrremtë (“red kite”) (Milvus milvus)
• qift zeshkan (“black kite”) (Milvus migrans)

Further reading

• FGJSSH: Fjalor i gjuhës së sotme shqipe [Dictionary of the modern Albanian language]‎^[1], 1980
• “qift”, in FGJSH: Fjalor i gjuhës shqipe [Dictionary of the Albanian language] (in Albanian), 2006
• Mann, S. E. (1948), “qift”, in An Historical Albanian–English Dictionary, London: Longmans, Green & Co., page 417