dundurs

Latvian

Dundurs

Etymology

Derived from the verb dundēt (to thunder), etymologically a variant of dunēt (to drone, to boom) (q.v.): both iterative-intensive forms of a no longer existing verb *dunt (to resound). The word was originally a reference to the low-pitched buzzing noise made by horseflies. Cognates include Lithuanian dunduris (thunder, thunderclap), dundurỹs (horsefly), Middle Dutch dunder, German Donner (thunder).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [dūnduɾs]
(file)

Noun

dundurs m (1st declension)

  1. horsefly, gadfly (medium to large flies (family: Tabanidae, especially Tabanus spp.) that suck the blood of mammals)
    dunduru laikshorsefly time, weather
    atgaiņāt dundurusto repel, drive away horseflies
    rūc kā dundurs(s/he) growls like a horsefly (i.e., sings very badly)
    dunduri ēda nost zirgus un uzbruka arī cilvēkiem, kur vien varēdami piekļūt un pasūkt asinishorseflies ate away the horses and attacked also people, wherever they could go and suck blood

Declension

References

  1. Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “dundurs”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN
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