كستين

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology

Univerbation of كُوز (kūz, “cone”) +‎ تِين (tīn, “fig”), literally “fig cone”, as كُوز (kūz, “cone”) is traditionally the unit used to count figs.

After univerbating, gained a backformed folk etymology in كِيس (kīs, “bag”) instead, as the shape of a fig resembles that of a bag.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kis.ˈtiːn/ [kes-]
  • (traditional South Lebanese) IPA(key): /kis.ˈteːn/

Noun

كِسْتِين • (kistīn) m (plural كَسَاتين (kasatīn) or كْساتين (ksātīn))

  1. (South Lebanon) fig
    Synonym: كُوز تِين (kūz tīn)

Usage notes

  • An alternative plural كَزَاتِين (kazatīn) exists and may even be used in dialects that do not univerbate the singular.
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