Maltese

noun

Mal·​tese mȯl-ˈtēz How to pronounce Maltese (audio)
-ˈtēs
plural Maltese
1
: a native or inhabitant of Malta
2
: the Semitic language of the Maltese people
3
: any of a breed of toy dogs with a long silky white coat, a black nose, and very dark eyes
Maltese adjective

Illustration of Maltese

Illustration of maltese
  • Maltese 3

Examples of Maltese in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The average lifespan for the spunky toy breed, Maltese is 15 years. — Katelyn Chef, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026 Investigators are searching for a Maltese Shih Tzu Poodle mix puppy that was stolen from a Denver metro area pet store last month. — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 12 Feb. 2026 Finalists includes an Afghan hound named Zaida, a Lhasa apso called JJ, a Maltese named Cookie and an old English sheepdog dubbed Graham. — Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026 Hackman’s will left all of his assets and $80 million fortune to Arakawa, despite sharing three adult children with late ex-wife, Faye Maltese. — Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 19 Jan. 2026 Deng himself has raised more than a dozen pets – mostly dogs -- over the years, including Ragdolls, British Shorthairs, Devon Rexes, Persians, Akitas, Giant Poodles, and his favorite, a Maltese. — Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Maltese was in 1615

Phrases Containing Maltese

Rhymes for Maltese

See All Rhymes for Maltese

Browse Nearby Words

malter
Maltese
Maltese cat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Maltese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Maltese. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

Maltese

noun
Mal·​tese mȯl-ˈtēz How to pronounce Maltese (audio)
plural Maltese
1
: a person born or living in Malta
2
: the Semitic language of the Maltese people
3
: any of a breed of toy dogs with a long silky white coat, a black nose, and dark eyes
Maltese adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Maltese

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Maltese

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of élan

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All