bec

See also: bèc, bêc, bëc, Beč, beç, bęc, and Bęc

Catalan

Etymology

From Old Occitan, from Latin beccus (“beak”), from Gaulish *beccos, from Proto-Celtic *bekkos.

Noun

bec m (plural becs)

1. beak, bill

Verb

bec

1. first-person singular present indicative form of beure

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French

Etymology

From Latin beccus (“beak”), from Gaulish *beccos, from Proto-Celtic *bekkos.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛk/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

bec m (plural becs)

1. (anatomy) beak, bill (of bird)
2. (colloquial, Belgium, Quebec, Switzerland, Louisiana) kiss

   Synonyms: bise, bisou

   Elle m'a fait un bec en partant.

   She gave me a kiss in parting.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• à bec
• bec-d'âne
• bec-d'argent
• bec-de-cane
• bec-de-canon
• bec-de-cigogne
• bec-de-cire

• bec-de-corbeau
• bec-de-corbin
• bec-de-crosse
• bec-de-cygne
• bec-de-faucon
• bec-de-grue

• bec-de-hache
• bec-de-héron
• bec-de-jar
• bec-de-lézard
• bec-de-lièvre
• bec-de-mortagnais

• bec-de-perroquet
• bec-de-pigeon
• bec-de-vautour
• bec-d'oie
• bec-dur
• becter
• béquille
• flûte à bec

Further reading

• “bec” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• BCE

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Friulian

Etymology

From Latin beccus (“beak”), from Gaulish *beccos.

Noun

bec m (plural becs)

1. beak
2. bill

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Norman

Etymology

From Old Norse bekkr (“river”).

Noun

bec ? (plural becs)

1. river

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Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /beːt͡ʃ/

Noun

bēċ

1. inflection of bōc:
   1. genitive/dative singular
   2. nominative/accusative plural

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Old Irish

Alternative forms

• becc

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *bikkos (“small”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbʲeɡ/

Adjective

bec (comparative lugu)

1. small

Inflection

o/ā-stem
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	bec	bec	bec
Vocative	bic* bec**
Accusative	bec	bic
Genitive	bic	bice	bic
Dative	biuc	bic	biuc
Plural	Masculine	Feminine/neuter
Nominative	bic	beca
Vocative	bicu beca†
Accusative	bicu beca†
Genitive	bec
Dative	becaib
Notes	*modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized

Descendants

• Irish: beag
• Manx: beg
• Scottish Gaelic: beag

Mutation

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
bec	bec pronounced with /v(ʲ)-/	mbec
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

• C. Marstrander, E. G. Quin et al., editors (1913–76), “bec”, in Dictionary of the Irish Language: Based Mainly on Old and Middle Irish Materials, Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, →ISBN

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Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French bec (de gaz).

Noun

bec n (plural becuri)

1. lightbulb

Declension

declension of bec

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) bec	becul	(niște) becuri	becurile
genitive/dative	(unui) bec	becului	(unor) becuri	becurilor
vocative	becule		becurilor