Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
difer. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
difer, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
difer in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
difer you have here. The definition of the word
difer will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
difer, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Maltese
Etymology
From Arabic ظُفْر (ẓufr). The unexpected imala may be connected to an irregular development in some roots with final /r/, compare deher and sider.
Pronunciation
Noun
difer m (dual difrejn, plural difrejn or dwiefer)
- (anatomy) nail
Usage notes
- Difer and saba’ (“finger, toe”) are the only non-paired body parts in which the original dual is used with a plural sense. With difer, the dual is the normal choice, whereas the form dwiefer most often implies long or false nails. Only in very restricted contexts can the dual form still mean “two nails”. Only the dual form is possible with personal suffixes.
Inflection