Maltese cat
- noun
- /mɔːlˈtiːz kæt/
- US
:
gato maltés
- The Maltese cat is admired for its striking bluish-grey fur and gentle temperament.
Examples
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He spotted a handsome Maltese cat basking in the afternoon sunlight on the windowsill.
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Many American households have adopted a Maltese cat as an affectionate companion.
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The Maltese cat is known for its friendly nature.
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She adopted a Maltese cat from the shelter.
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He spotted a handsome Maltese cat basking in the afternoon sunlight on the windowsill.
-
Many American households have adopted a Maltese cat as an affectionate companion.
-
The Maltese cat is admired for its striking bluish-grey fur and gentle temperament.
Synonyms
A house cat with short blue grey fur
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from the adjective 'Maltese' + noun 'cat', so a learner who knows both words will understand it denotes a type or origin-related cat (e.g., a cat from or associated with Malta). However, the specific, conventional US sense referring to a short-haired bluish‑grey coat is a specialized, lexicalized sense of 'Maltese' that is not fully predictable from the constituents alone, so some prior exposure is needed.
Etymology
Maltese cat may come from an old use of Maltese to mean a bluish-grey colour, a name people once used for animals with grey fur and thought to come from Malta. So today Maltese cat means a short-haired cat with striking bluish-grey fur.
