dzelonis

From dzel(t) (“to sting”) +‎ -onis.

dzelonis m (2nd declension)

1. sting, stinger (attack organ in some insects and arachnids with which poison is injected)

   bites, lapsenes dzelonis ― bee, wasp sting

   izraut bites dzeloni no pirksta ― to pull out a bee sting from (one's) finger

   skorpioni nekož, bet dzeļ ar ķermeņa astes galā atrodošos dzeloni ― scorpions don't bite, (they) sting with a sting located at the end of their tail

2. (colloquial) snake's poison fangs

   čūskai ir dzeloņi; tie sāpīgi dzeļ ― snakes have poison fangs (lit. stings); they bite (lit. sting) painfully

3. (figuratively, of thoughts, words, behavior) which offends, hurts one's feelings

   Līzei kā sīks dzelonis sirdī iedūra novērojums, ka pirmām kārtām pie galda sēdināja turīgos saimniekus ― the observation that they had seated the rich landowners at the best places at the table pierced Līze's heart like a small sting

   viņa no Balodienes nebija dzirdējusi neviena vārda, kurš nebūtu bijis bez dzeloņiem ― she hadn't heard a single word from Balodiene, which wouldn't have been without stings

   Zenta brālim šad tad iedzēla ar savu greizsirdības dzeloni ― Zenta stung (her) brother every now and then with the sting of her jealousy

4. (usually in the plural) thorns, prickles (needle-like rigid protuberance(s) on some plants or animals)

   kaktusa dzeloņi ― cactus thorns

   alveja ir vienkāršs augs ar garām, resnām, sulīgām lapām, kuru malas parasti klātas ar mīkstiem dzeloņiem ― aloe vera is a simple plant with long, thick, succulent leaves, with edges covered with soft thorns

   jūras buļļu dzimtā ir mazas un vidējas zivi; visām sugām ir dzeloņi un izaugumi uz galvas ― in the sea scorpion family there are small and middle(-sized) fish; all species have prickles and protuberances on the head

5. (usually in the plural) prickle, barb (needle-like protuberance(s) on certain objects)

   dzeloņstieple, dzeloņu stieple ― barbed wire

   pārbaudījis uz pirksta āķa dzeloņa asumu, makšķernieks uzmauc siļķes gabaliņu ― having checked on (his) finger the sharpness of the hook's prick / tip, the fisherman put on (it) a piece of herring

• (of "thorn"): ērkšķis

• dzeloņstieple, dzeloņu stieple