gżira

Maltese

Alternative forms

ġżira (less common)

Etymology

From Arabic جَزِيرَة (jazīra). The affrication of the initial consonant was blocked, or early on reverted, under the influence of the following alveolar fricative. Compare Moroccan Arabic جزيرة (gzīra).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈɡziː.ra/
Audio: (file)

Noun

gżira f (plural gżejjer or gżiriet, diminutive gżejra)

island
Ir-Repubblika ta’ Malta tikkonsisti minn arċipelago ta’ seba’ gżejjer.
The Republic of Malta consists of an archipelago of seven islands.
- 2018, Antoinette Borg, Amina, Merlin Publishers, →ISBN:
  Imnalla għajjatlu Fredu u kellu jwaqqaf l-eloġju ta’ nannuh, għax naħseb l-istorja li kien imiss kienet li għandu xi gżira privata.
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tas-Salmi 65:6:
  Tal-għaġeb kif tweġibna bil-ġustizzja tiegħek, o Alla tas-salvazzjoni tagħna. Int tama ta’ min jgħix fi truf l-art u fi gżejjer fl-ibħra mbiegħda.
  New International Version translation: You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas
- c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija 47:4:
  Għax wasal jum il-qerda tal-Filistin ilkoll kemm huma, biex jinqered għal Tir u għal Sidon, kull min għad fadal jgħinhom. Għax il-Mulej se jeqred il-Filistin, il-bqija tal-gżira ta’ Kaftor.
  New International Version translation: For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines and to remove all survivors who could help Tyre and Sidon. The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.
- c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Profeta Eżekjel 27:3:
  Għid lil Tir, sultana fuq dħul il-baħar, neguzjanta tal-popli f’ħafna gżejjer, dan jgħid Sidi l-Mulej; Tir, int għedt: ‘Jiena ġifen ta’ ġmiel bla qjies!’
  New International Version translation: Say to Tyre, situated at the gateway to the sea, merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘You say, Tyre, “I am perfect in beauty.”
- 1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral”, in Fanali bil-Lejl:
  u lili firdu minn mal-art għal dejjem,
  u jien sfajt blata u gżira l-aktar ċkejkna,
  bi ftit faqqiegħ u ftit gremxul sewdieni
  ngħix ħajja waħdi.
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)