bebbux

Maltese

Etymology

From Maghrebi Arabic, ultimately from Vulgar Latin *babosu. Attested marginally in Tunisian Berber ababbuc, there is no reason to suppose that Berber played a role in its transmission[1]. Compare Moroccan Arabic ببوش (babbūš) and Sicilian babbaluci.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bɛbˈbuːʃ/
  • Audio (Gozo):(file)
  • Rhymes: -uːʃ

Noun

bebbux m (collective, singulative bebbuxu or bebbuxa, plural bwiebex, paucal bebbuxiet)

  1. a snail
  2. (Gozo) a sea snail
    Coordinate term: għakrux

Derived terms

  • bebbuxata (“snail meal”)

References

  1. ^ Souag, Lameen (2018), “Berber Etymologies in Maltese”, in International Journal of Arabic Linguistics, volume 4, number 1, pages 190–223
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