għattan

Maltese

Root
għ-t-n
1 term

Etymology

In all likelihood from Arabic. Barring irregular phonetic developments, the only possible etymon seems to be عَطَّنَ (ʕaṭṭana, “to steep skin in a septic liquid for tanning”). Semantically, this is plausible through figurative use; compare e.g. English tan, Latin macerare, older German gerben.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaːt.tan/
• IPA^(key): /ˈaˤːt.tan/ (archaic)

Verb

għattan (imperfect jgħattan)

1. to squash; to crush; to thump
2. to oppress; to smother

Conjugation

Conjugation of għattan

		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
perfect	m	għattant	għattant	għattan		għattanna	għattantu	għattnu
	f			għattnet
imperfect	m	ngħattan	tgħattan	jgħattan		ngħattnu	tgħattnu	jgħattnu
	f			tgħattan
imperative			għattan				għattnu