بَطِّيخ
baṭṭīḵcollective
The English word "watermelon" is translated into Arabic as بَطِّيخ (baṭṭīḵ). Wiktionary also lists بَطِّيخَة (baṭṭīḵa).
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بَطِّيخ | baṭṭīḵ | collective |
| بَطِّيخَة | baṭṭīḵa | feminine, singulative |
The word is used to refer to the fruit known as watermelon.
Which one should you use?
بَطِّيخ is a collective noun used to refer to the fruit in general, while the singulative form بَطِّيخَة is used when you want to refer to a single watermelon.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because بَطِّيخ is a collective noun, you must use the singulative form بَطِّيخَة to specifically mean "a watermelon".
How do you pronounce it?
baṭṭīḵ
Did you know?
- Because watermelons are synonymous with summer heat in the Arab world, بَطِّيخ is often paired with جِبْنَة (cheese) as a traditional refreshing snack in Egypt.
- The phrase بَطِّيخ is sometimes used colloquially as a slang term to mean 'nonsense' or 'rubbish' when someone is talking about something irrelevant.
- In many Arabic dialects, especially in Egypt, بَطِّيخ refers specifically to watermelon, but in other regions, the same word can be used for any type of melon, including cantaloupe.
Examples in context
- هَلْ يُوجَدُ بَطِّيخٌ في الثَّلَّاجَةِ؟hal yūjadu baṭṭīkhun fī ath-thallājati?Is there watermelon in the fridge?
Example conversation
Ahmed and Maryam are in the kitchen during a hot summer afternoon.
- أحمد Ahmedيا مَرْيَم، هَلْ نَأْكُلُ بَطِّيخاً اليَوْمَ؟yā maryamu, hal na'kulu baṭṭīkhan al-yawma?Maryam, shall we eat watermelon today?
- مريم Maryamنَعَم، لَدَيْنَا بَطِّيخٌ بَارِدٌ في المَطْبَخِ.na'am, ladaynā baṭṭīkhun bāridun fī al-matbakhi.Yes, we have cold watermelon in the kitchen.
- أحمد Ahmedرَائِعٌ، أَنَا جَائِعٌ جِدّاً.rā'i', ana jā'i'un jiddan.Great, I am very hungry.
- مريم Maryamسَأُحْضِرُهُ لَكَ يا أَحْمَدُ.sa'uhdiruhu laka yā aḥmadu.I will bring it to you, Ahmed.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “watermelon” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
