briedis

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *breid-, *bried-, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreydʰ-, together with a variant *bʰrent-, both from the stem *bʰer (“to swell”) (whence also briest (“to swell”), q.v.). The meaning apparently changed as follows: “swollen, big” > “having a big, well-developed body” > “strong, imposing (animal).” At first this word apparently referred to elks, and only later to deer; the meaning “elk” is still found in folklore. Cognates include Lithuanian bríedis (“elk”), Old Prussian braydis (“elk”) (< *breidis), Sudovian brid (“deer”), Elfdalian brinde (“elk”), Messapic brénthon (“elk”) (< *brénton). ^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bɾiɛ̂dis]

• Audio

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Noun

briedis m (2nd declension)

1. deer, stag (especially Dama dama)

   brieža ragi ― deer antlers

   brieža medības ― deer hunting

   briežu mātīte ― female deer

   stalts kā briedis ― tall, stately like a deer

References

Noun

briedis m

1. elk (UK), moose (US), Alces alces