Maltese

American  

[mawl-teez, -tees] / mɔlˈtiz, -ˈtis /

adjective

1. of or relating to Malta, its people, or their language.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Malta.

2. the Arabic dialect spoken in Malta, using many Italian words.

3. Maltese cat.

4. Maltese dog.

Maltese British  

/ mɔːlˈtiːz /

adjective

1. of or relating to Malta, its inhabitants, or their language

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Malta

2. the official language of Malta, a form of Arabic with borrowings from Italian, etc

3. a breed of toy dog having a very long straight silky white coat

4. a domestic fancy pigeon having long legs and a long neck

Etymology

Origin of Maltese

First recorded in 1605–15; Malt(a) + -ese

Example Sentences

It is currently unclear whether the actor left anything to his three children—Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie—whom he shared with his first wife, Faye Maltese.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 19, 2026

Then he would commute with his two Maltese dogs down the Hudson River in his boat to Saks’s Manhattan office.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

In the wake of the shipwreck, migrant rescue charity Alarm Phone said it had alerted the Italian and Maltese authorities to the boat's plight, but accused both of delaying the rescue.

From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025

Though he has been known to describe himself as being Maltese, he was born in 1986 in Uzbekistan when it was still a part of the Soviet Union.

From BBC • Aug. 31, 2025

“But you get a mention for the Maltese Falcon clue and, of course, Portsmouth Square.”

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman