Where does “tiġieġ tat-toppu” come from?
tiġieġ tat-toppu (Maltese) comes from Maltese toppu, from Sicilian tuppu, from Old French toupe, from Old French top, from Frankish topp, from Proto-Germanic tuppaz, from Proto-Indo-European dumb- — tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,...
tiġieġ tat-toppu (Maltese): red-knobbed coot (Fulica cristata)
Definitions
- red-knobbed coot (Fulica cristata)
Ancestry of “tiġieġ tat-toppu”, step by step
tiġieġ tat-toppu traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Maltese toppu
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maltese | toppu | toupee |
| 2 | Sicilian | tuppu | bun |
| 3 | Old French | toupe | — |
| 4 | Old French | top | hair on top of one's head, forelock; top, highest... |
| 5 | Frankish | topp | tuft; spinning top; summit, top |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | tuppaz | tuft, plait; top, summit |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dumb- | tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,... |