spalva

From Proto-Baltic *spalwā, from Proto-Indo-European *pel-, *spʰel- (“to split, cast off”) with a w extension. Alternatively, *spalu- may simply have been a u-stem noun, later transformed into an ā-stem noun: *spalu-ā- > *spalvā-. The original meaning was probably “that which was torn off, plucked, shorn.” Cognates include Lithuanian spalvà (“color”) (“color” meaning is a secondary development), Sudovian spiła.[1]

• IPA^(key): [spālva]

spalva f (4th declension)

1. feather (branching, hair-like structure that covers the skin of birds; a feather covering)

   pīlu, vistu, baložu spalvas ― duck, chicken, pigeon feathers

   raibas spalvas ― speckled feathers

   mest spalvas ― to change (lit. throw) feathers, to moult

   plūkt, plucināt spalvas ― to pluck feathers

   spalvu sega ― feather blanket, duvet

   spalvu mākoņi ― cirrus clouds (lit. feather clouds)

2. fur, hair; a covering of hair (on mammals)

   zirgam gluda, spoža spalva ― the horse has smooth, shiny hair

   spalvām apaugušas rokas, kājas ― hands, feet covered, overgrown with hair

   mākslīga spalva ― artificial, synthetic fur

   liels suns, gludu spalvu, tumši brūns kā kastanis ― a big dog, (with) smooth fur, dark brown like a chestnut

   truši met spalvu, t. i., mati izkrīt un to vietā izaug jauni ― rabbits shed their fur, i.e., their hairs fall off and on the same place new ones grow

3. quill, pen (especially to be used as a writing instrument)

   noasināta zoss spalva ― a sharpened goose quill

   rakstāmspalva ― writing pen, nib

   pildspalva ― writing pen

   rupja, smalka spalva ― coarse, fine pen

   iemērkt spalvu tintē, tušā ― to dip the pen in ink

   pirmais spalvas mēģinājums ― the first attempt at the pen (= at writing, by a new author)

In the “writing implement” sense, pildspalva is the usual term, spalva being usually reserved for special, or old-fashioned, pens (especially feather pens) or for metaphorical uses.

• (of "hair, fur"): mati

• pildspalva
• rakstāmspalva
• spalvains
• spalvu mākonis, spalvmākonis

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *spalwā, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)p(h)el- (“to split, cast off”), with a w extension. Alternatively, *spalu- may simply have been a u-stem noun, later transformed into an ā-stem noun: *spalu-ā- > *spalvā-. The original meaning was probably “that which was torn off, plucked, shorn.” Cognates include Latvian spalva (“feather, fur”), Nareva Baltic spiła; the “color” meaning is a secondary development, from “feather, fur.”

• IPA^(key): [spɐlˈvɐ]

spalvà f (plural spal̃vos) stress pattern 4

1. colour, color

spalva f (plural spalvas)

1. color, colour