אלמלא

• אִלְמָלֵי‎

From Arabic إما لَ‎ (ʾimmā lā), equivalent to إما‎ (ʾimmā, “if even”) +‎ لَ‎ (lā, “not”) cognate with Hebrew לֹא‎ (lo). Likely adapted to form the compound אִי‎ ('i, “not having, not being”) +‎ לְמַלֵּא‎ (lemalé, “to fulfill”).

אִלְמָלֵא • ('ilmalé)

1. unless, if not

   ‏לֹא הָיִיתִי נוֹסֵעַ לַהַצָּגָה אִלְמָלֵא רָכַשְׁתִּי כַּרְטִיס מִבְּעוֹד מוֹעֵד.‎‎

   I would not go to the show if I had not obtained a ticket in advance.

2. without, were it not for

   ‏הָיִיתִי נִכְשָׁל בַּמִּבְחָן אִלְמָלֵא הַיֶּדַע הָרַב שֶׁלִּי בְּעִבְרִית.‎‎

   I would have failed the test were it not for my great knowledge of Hebrew.