Latvian

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 pirksts on Latvian Wikipedia

Etymology

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From Proto-Balto-Slavic *pírštan, from Proto-Indo-European *per (over) (whence also Latvian par, q.v.) in its reduced grade *pr̥, with *stā- (to stand) (whence also Latvian stāt (to stop), q.v.). The original meaning was therefore “(the one(s)) standing in front, directed to(ward) the front.” Cognates include Lithuanian pir̃štas, Old Prussian pīrsten (probably masculine accusative), nagepristis (toe nails, claws) (< *nagepirstis), Proto-Slavic *pьrstъ (Russian archaic перст (perst), Ukrainian перст (perst), Upper Sorbian porst, Bulgarian пръст (prǎst), Czech prst, Polish parst), Old High German first (spike, protuberance), German First (ridge, top), Sanskrit पृष्ठम् (pṛṣṭhám, back, tip, ending), Avestan 𐬞𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬙𐬀 (paršta, backbone, spine), Latin postis (post, doorpost) (< *porstis “the one standing in front”).[1]

Pronunciation

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Noun

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pirksts m (1st declension)

  1. (anatomy) finger, toe (movable extremities of the hand or foot)
    slaidi, gari pirkstilong, slender fingers
    līki pirksticrooked fingers
    pirksta locītavaknuckle (lit. finger joint)
    pirksta kauli, galifinger bones, tips
    pirkstu nospiedumsfingerprint
    lielais pirkstsbig toe
    rādītāja pirksts, rādītājpirkstsindex (lit. showing) finger
    vidējais pirkstsmiddle finger
    skaitīt uz pirkstiemto count on one's fingers
  2. finger (parts of a glove that cover the fingers)
    noadīt cimda pirkstuto knit a glove finger
  3. elongated component or part of a mechanism
    virzuļa pirkstspiston (connecting) rod

Declension

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Derived terms

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References

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