abinieks

Latvian

Abinieki

Etymology

Coined in 1860-70 (author undetermined) from abi (“both”) +‎ -nieks, following the model of Ancient Greek ἀμφίβιον (amphíbion), from ἀμφί (amphí, “of both kinds”) and βίος (bíos, “life”). This word quickly replaced earlier proposed forms like abejāds and abejādnieks.[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [abiniɛks]
(file)

Noun

abinieks m (1st declension)

  1. amphibian (vertebrates of the class Amphibia that live both on land and in water)
    astaini, bezastaini abinieki ― tailed, non-tailed amphibians
    abinieku oliņas, kāpuri ― eggs, larvae of amphibians
    abinieki ir tādi dzīvnieki, kas dzīvo gan ūdenī, gan uz sauszemes, kā, piemēram, vardes ― amphibians are the animals that live both in water and on dry land, such as, for example, frogs
    vairums abinieku sugu ir derīgi dzīvnieki, jo tie iznīcina lauksaimniecībai kaitīgus kukaiņus— most species of amphibians are useful animals, because they destroy insects that are harmful to agriculture

Usage notes

In the biological sense (Amphibia), abinieks is the usual term. In non-biological senses ('amphibian tank'), however, only amfībija is possible.

Declension

Synonyms

References

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