kalns

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *kalˀnás with a suffix -no, from Proto-Indo-European *kelH-, *kolH- (“to raise, to lift, to build”), whence also Latvian celt. The meaning of celt was originally not only “to lift,” but also “to be high”, whence the meaning of kalns. This word was also sometimes used in the past to mean “building, construction,” especially tall ones in large estates. Cognates include Lithuanian kálnas, Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌻𐌿𐍃 (hallus, “rock, cliff”) (< *kolnus), Old English holm (“hill, knoll”) (< Proto-Germanic *kl̥mo), German Holm (“islet”), Ancient Greek κολωνός (kolōnós), Latin collis (“knoll, hill”) (< *colnis).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kâlns]

• Audio:

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Noun

kalns m (1st declension)

1. mountain, hill

Declension

Declension of kalns (1st declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	kalns	kalni
accusative (akuzatīvs)	kalnu	kalnus
genitive (ģenitīvs)	kalna	kalnu
dative (datīvs)	kalnam	kalniem
instrumental (instrumentālis)	kalnu	kalniem
locative (lokatīvs)	kalnā	kalnos
vocative (vokatīvs)	kalns	kalni

Derived terms

• kalnains
• kalnup

Samogitian

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *kalˀnas, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root *kelH- (“lift”). Compare Latvian kalns, Lithuanian kalnas.

Noun

kalns m

1. mountain, hill

Derived terms

• Joudkalnėjė