zils

English

Noun

zils

  1. plural of zil

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *žilas, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- (to shine), the same stem as zelts (gold) (q.v.) and several color terms (compare dzeltens (yellow), zaļš (green). This word must have been formed relatively late, after the differentiation of Baltic and Slavic, since, unlike “yellow” and “green,” it has no counterparts among the Slavic terms for “blue.” Cognates include Lithuanian žìlas (gray, silvery-white).[1]

Adjective

Zils

zils (definite zilais, comparative zilāks, superlative viszilākais, adverb zili)

  1. blue (the same (or similar) color as, e.g., a clear sky)
    zila krāsablue color
    tumši, gaiši zilsdark, light blue
    zilas acisblue eyes
    zili dūmiblue smoke
    zilais kruststhe blue cross (veterinarian aid sign)
  2. blue (having a tone or hue similar to blue when compared to other, related elements)
    zilie ceriņiblue lilacs

Declension

Derived terms

See also

Colors in Latvian · krāsas (layout · text)
     balts      pelēks      melns
             sarkans, sārts              oranžs; brūns              dzeltens
                          zaļš             
             zilzaļš, ciāns                           zils
             violets; zilganviolets, indigo              fuksīns; violets              rozā

References

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