إخت

See also: أحب

North Levantine Arabic

Alternative forms

• أخت (ʔuḵt)

Etymology

From Arabic أُخْت (ʔuḵt).

Noun

إخت • (ʔiḵt) f (plural خيات (ḵayyāt) or إخوات (ʔiḵwāt), masculine أخ (ʔaḵḵ) or خي (ḵayy))

1. sister

Usage notes

• The plural خيات (ḵayyāt) is derived from dated خية (ḵayye), a diminutive and the feminine form of خي (ḵayy, “brother”). Curiously, it cannot be used as a plural of "brother", even though the rhyming word بي (bayy, “father”) takes the plural بيات (bayyāt).
• The plural إخوات (ʔiḵwāt) can refer to siblings gender-neutrally, as can إخوة (ʔiḵwe), the plural of خي (ḵayy, “brother”).