injam

Maltese

Alternative forms

• njam (sometimes after a vowel, but i is mostly considered part of the stem)

Etymology

Borrowed from Sicilian lignami (“wood”), from Early Medieval Latin lignāmen, derived from Latin lignum. The initial l- was reinterpreted as the Sicilian and/or Maltese definite article. Compare Italian legname.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪnˈjaːm/
• Rhymes: -aːm

Noun

injam m

1. wood
   • 1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Id-Dar tan-Ninfi”, in Fl-Arena:

     Għamara bl-injam ħadmu,
     bil-ward żewqu l-ħitan;
     buqar tahom il-ġilju,
     u kikkri t-tulipan.

     They built the furniture from wood,
     and decked the walls with roses.
     For jugs they used lilies,
     for cups, the tulips.

See also

• għuda
• ħatab