Maltese

noun

Mal·​tese mȯl-ˈtēz How to pronounce Maltese (audio)
-ˈtēs
plural Maltese
1
: a native or inhabitant of Malta
2
: the Semitic language of the Maltese people
3
: any of a breed of toy dogs with a long silky white coat, a black nose, and very dark eyes
Maltese adjective

Illustration of Maltese

Illustration of maltese
  • Maltese 3

Examples of Maltese in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There are songs in 20 languages this year, including Ukrainian, Icelandic, Albanian, Latvian and Maltese. Jill Lawless, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025 Hers marks the first record that Maltese has produced entirely himself since 2020’s hushed and reflective Krystal. Sophie Williams, Billboard, 15 May 2025 Against the backdrop of segregation, disenfranchisement and violence, Martinez appears to have claimed a lineage – Maltese – that the 1910 census categorized as white. Chelsea Stieber, The Conversation, 14 May 2025 The frightened Maltese was swimming in circles, but Desalvo and his colleagues were able to pull her to safety. Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 10 May 2025 Through its ‘golden passport’ program, Malta enabled foreigners to acquire Maltese – and thereby EU – citizenship, raising hundreds of millions of euros for the country. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 All told, the other top candidates who could be elevated to the zenith of the Catholic Church are four Italians, one Spanish, one French, one Ghanaian and one Maltese. Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025 Mario Grech Position: Secretary general of the Synod of Bishops Nationality: Maltese Age: 68 What else? George Petras, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025 Researchers published their findings on April 9 in Nature, and argue that as much as a millennium’s worth of Maltese prehistory may warrant reevaluation. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Maltese was in 1615

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Cite this Entry

“Maltese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Maltese. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

Maltese

noun
Mal·​tese mȯl-ˈtēz How to pronounce Maltese (audio)
plural Maltese
1
: a person born or living in Malta
2
: the Semitic language of the Maltese people
3
: any of a breed of toy dogs with a long silky white coat, a black nose, and dark eyes
Maltese adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Maltese

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