Maltese

[ mawl-teez, -tees ]

adjective

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

noun

, plural Mal·tese.

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

/ mɔːlˈtiːz /

adjective

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

noun

1. -tese 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of Maltese¹

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

Example Sentences

These tigers were described as “marvelously beautiful” with bodies “a deep shade of Maltese, changing into almost deep blue on the under parts.”

From Quanta Magazine

Robert Graves thought Hammett was better than either Chandler or Asbury and called The Maltese Falcon, “a literary landmark.”

From The Daily Beast

“So I called out of the clear blue sky with no agenda,” she remembers, as she holds up her Maltese, Max, for smooches.

From The Daily Beast

Not at all, as it turns out: He is worried about his little Maltese, which has a persistent liver infection.

From The Daily Beast

Bonaparte attacked Valetta, in Malta, and in a sortie the Maltese lost the standard of their order.

From Project Gutenberg

The flag of the club is the blue ensign of Her Majesty's fleet, with a gold crown and Maltese cross.

From Project Gutenberg

The second is cloathed with hair, and in size resembles our little Maltese dogs.

From Project Gutenberg

Our next recruit was a little Maltese terrier, named Lisette, which raised the number to fourteen.

From Project Gutenberg

Fig. 190 shows an Etruscan bronze fibula with two Swastikas and two Maltese crosses in the pin shield.

From Project Gutenberg