Etymology

Ultimately from Latin falx, falcem ("sickle"), or through a Vulgar Latin form *falca; compare Romanian falcă; change in meaning, due to the shape of the mandible, also in Albanian felqinë ‎(“jaw”). Compare also Sardinian cavanu ‎(“jaw”) and cavana ‎(“sickle”). Latin maxilla ‎(“jaw”) gave Aromanian mãseauã ‎(“molar”).