Maltese

[mawl-teez, -tees]

adjective

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

noun

plural

Maltese 

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. 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

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.

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One body was recovered, with Italian and Maltese patrol vessels and Italian planes taking part in the search.

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The Maltese government said everyone aboard the ship was "confirmed safe" and that a fire onboard the ship was "brought under control overnight".

Read more on BBC

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.

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But when Khorram’s husband took Mini the Maltese to get microchipped, the vet broke the news: The pup had a heart murmur.

Read more on Los Angeles Times