dievs

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *deiwas, from Proto-Indo-European *deywós, from the stem *dey-, *dī-, *di- (“to shine brightly”), with an extra (w)o-s. The original meaning was probably “light,” from which “sky” (via “bright one”, “shining one”) (a meaning still found in Balto-Finnic borrowings like Finnish taivas (“sky”), Estonian taevas (“sky”)), whence also “god” (compare Veps taivaz (“sky”), but taiwaliine (“god”) < “celestial”). Cognates include Lithuanian diẽvas, Old Prussian deiwas, deiws, deywis, Old Church Slavonic дивъ (divŭ), Russian dialectal див (div, “wonder, miracle”), Upper Sorbian dzíw, Polish dziw, Proto-Germanic *teiwaz, *tīwaz (“god of war”) (Old High German Zīo, Old English Tīw, Old Norse Týr), Sanskrit देवः (deváḥ), Avestan 𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬎𐬎𐬀‎ (daēva, “demon, devil”), Scythian sakdeos (“deer demon”) (< Proto-Iranian *sāka-daiva), Latin deus (< *deivos).^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [dìɛws]

Noun

dievs m (1st declension, feminine form: dieviete or dieve)

1. (theology, Christianity, often capitalized) god (supernatural being that created the world)

   lūgt dievu ― to pray to god

   ticēt dievam ― to believe in god

   dieva kalps ― servant of god (i.e., a preacher)

   dieva tiesa ― god's judgment

   dievs (pa)sargi! pasargi dievs! lai dievs (pa)sarga! ― god forbid!

   mīļais dievs! mans dievs! ― dear god! my god!

   reliģijai raksturīgs uzskats, ka pasauli radījis dievs ― (it) is a characteristic belief of religion that god created the world

2. (mythology) god (powerful supernatural being that demands worship)

   seno grieķu dievi ― ancient Greek gods

   romiešu dievi ― Roman gods

   pagāniskie dievi ― pagan gods

   kara dievs ― the god of war

References