lagħab

Maltese

Root
l-għ-b
12 terms

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /laːp/
• IPA^(key): /laˤːp/ (archaic)
• Homophone: lgħab

Etymology 1

From Arabic لَعِبَ (laʕiba).

Verb

lagħab (imperfect jilgħab, past participle milgħub, verbal noun logħob)

1. to play
2. to gamble
3. to cheat, to deceive
4. to waver, to be undecided

Conjugation

Conjugation of lagħab

		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
perfect	m	lgħabt	lgħabt	lagħab		lgħabna	lgħabtu	lagħbu
	f			lagħbet
imperfect	m	nilgħab	tilgħab	jilgħab		nilagħbu	tilagħbu	jilagħbu
	f			tilgħab
imperative			ilgħab				ilagħbu

Etymology 2

From Arabic لَعّاب (laʕʕāb).

Originally the noun was pronounced /laʕˈʕaːp/, while the verb was /ˈla.ʕap/. Both merged in the 19th century when għ was vowelised. The spelling lagħgħab, which is sometimes seen, is incorrect because għ can never be geminated in Maltese.

Noun

lagħab m (plural lagħaba, feminine lagħaba)

1. gambler

   Synonyms: lagħbi, lagħabi