Marsalforn is a composite word. "Marsa" is an
Arabic word meaning `port` or `bay.` There is disagreement on the origin of the
second part of the word - `forn` -. Forn means "a bakery" inMaltese,
but it is highly improbable that this has anything to do with Marsalforn, for
it is unlikely that a bakery would be built in an area with a small population.
It is quite likely that this name, like that of other Gozitan ports, might
refer to a type of ship. In that case it would derive from Liburna. an
Illyrian type of a ship, which became livurna in Greek, and lifurna in Arabic.
The name might also have been derived
