ħamiema
/ħaˈmɪːma/
The Maltese word for pigeon is ħamiema.
ħamiema refers to a bird of the dove and pigeon family (Columbidae).
Meaning: bird of the dove and pigeon family Columbidae (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ħaˈmɪːma/
Did you know?
- The phonetics of ħamiema closely resemble the Arabic word hamāma, reflecting the structural foundation of the Maltese language.
- Pigeon fancying is a deeply rooted hobby in Malta, where the phrase ħamiema is central to a complex social community of breeders and racers.
- The phonetic structure of ħamiema contains the letter ħ, a character unique to Maltese that represents a voiceless pharyngeal fricative, a sound that does not exist in English.
Examples in context
- Għandna ħamiema fil-park.There are pigeons in the park.
Example conversation
Myriam and Justin are walking in a public park.
- MyriamAra dik il-ħamiema!Look at that pigeon!
- JustinHija sabiħa ħafna, Myriam.It is very beautiful, Myriam.
- MyriamTħobb tħydha b'xi ħobż?Would you like to feed it some bread?
- JustinIva, Justin iħobb it-twajba.Yes, Justin loves feeding them.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ħamiema, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
