werżieq

Maltese

Root
w-r-ż-q
1 term

Etymology

Related to the verb werżaq (“to scream, shriek”), which has a plausible origin in a blend of werwer + obsolete żagħaq, themselves from Arabic وَلْوَلَ (walwala, “to wail”) + زَعَقَ (zaʕaqa, “to shout”). Werżieq would then be the agent noun of this verb (“screamer”). However, it is seems equally likely that the verb is in fact a backformation from the noun, which would in turn stem from Berber; compare Kabyle warzigen, arzigen, obsolete variants (each attested once near the end of the 19th c.) of contemporary awerǧeǧǧi, awerǧeǧǧin (“cidada”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wɛrˈzɪːʔ/

Noun

werżieq m (plural wrieżaq)

1. cricket

   Synonyms: sarsur, grillu