Where does “bil-kemm” come from?

bil-kemm (Maltese) comes from Maltese b', from Arabic بِ, from Arabic بَاء.

bil-kemm (Maltese): hardly, barely

Definitions

  1. hardly, barely

Ancestry of “bil-kemm”, step by step

bil-kemm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Maltese b'

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malteseb'with (chiefly an ingredient, means, concomitant, quality)
2Arabicبِby; with; in, with
3Arabicبَاء—

via Maltese kemm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maltesekemmhow much
2Arabicكَمّ—
Every word from Arabic بَاء →Every word from Arabic بِ →Every word from Maltese b' →