Where does “Malta” come from?
Malta (Maltese) comes from Arabic مَالِطَا, from Latin Melita, from Ancient Greek Μελίτη, from Ancient Greek μέλι, from Proto-Indo-European mélid — honey.
Ancestry of “Malta”, step by step
Malta traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Arabic مَالِطَا
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arabic | مَالِطَا | — |
| 2 | Latin | Melita | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | Μελίτη | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μέλι | honey; anything sweet |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mélid | honey |
via Arabic مَالْطَا
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arabic | مَالْطَا | — |