siegħ

Maltese

Etymology

From Arabic صَاع (ṣāʕ). As usual, the emphatic ṣ- was dissimilated against the final pharyngeal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɪːħ/

• Audio (Gozo):

  (file)

• Homophones: sieħ, siħ

Noun

siegħ m (dual sigħajn, plural sigħan)

1. (historical units of measurement) a unit of dry volume, equivalent to 6 kejla, that is officially 111 imperial cubic inches (1.818 L).
   1. (also biblical) a vessel of such measure, a bushel
      • c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 5:15:

        Anqas ma jixegħlu l-musbieħ u jqegħduh taħt is-siegħ, iżda fuq l-imnara, u hekk idawwal lil kull min ikun fid-dar.

        King James Version translation: Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shines unto all that are in the house.

2. (historical units of measurement) a unit of surface area, equivalent to 10 kejla, that is officially 224.1 imperial square yards (187.4 m2).