إخت

إخت

See also: أحب‎

North Levantine Arabic

Alternative forms

• أخت‎ (ʔuḵt)

Etymology

From Arabic أُخْت‎ (ʾuḵt).

Noun

إخت • (ʔiḵt) f (plural خيات‎ (ḵayyāt) or إخوات‎ (ʔiḵwāt), masculine أخ‎ (ʔaḵḵ) or خي‎ (ḵayy))

1. sister

Usage notes

• The plural خيات‎ (ḵayyāt) is derived from dated خية‎ (ḵayye), a diminutive and the feminine form of خي‎ (ḵayy, “brother”). Curiously, it cannot be used as a plural of "brother", even though the rhyming word بي‎ (bayy, “father”) takes the plural بيات‎ (bayyāt).
• The plural إخوات‎ (ʔiḵwāt) can refer to siblings gender-neutrally, as can إخوة‎ (ʔiḵwe), the plural of خي‎ (ḵayy, “brother”).