kmieni
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Maltese[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Uncertain, but probably from Latin mane (“early in the morning”). The k- is explained by Joseph Aquilina as the preposition cum (“with”), as if from a Vulgar Latin phrase *cum mane (literally “with the early morning”).
Otherwise compare the Arabic root ك م ن (k m n) related to concealment and ambush; thus speculatively from the notion of getting up very early in order to do something in secret. Phonetically the word is quite reminiscent of dialectal Arabic كَمان (kamān, “also, as well”), from classical كَمَا أَنَّ (kamā ʔanna), but a semantic relation is hard to see.
Pronunciation[edit]
Adjective[edit]
kmieni (invariable, comparative (Australia) ikmen)
Adverb[edit]
kmieni