galva

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *galwāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷol- (“spike, tip, peak”) (whence also Latvian gals (“end”)) with an extra suffix *-wā. The meaning evolution was probably “spike, peak” → “top part” → “head.” A few researchers have suggested other Proto-Indo-European stems (*ghel- (“stone”), or *gol- (“naked”)). Cognates include Latgalian golva, Lithuanian galvà, Old Prussian gallū (from *galvū, from *galva), galwo (“head of boot”), Sudovian kałfa (from *galva), Proto-Slavic *golva (Old Church Slavonic глава (glava), Russian голова́ (golová), Ukrainian голова́ (holová), Belarusian галава́ (halavá), dialectal голаў (hólaŭ), Bulgarian глава́ (glavá), Czech hlava, Polish głowa), Hittite [script needed] (ḫalanta) (where ḫ comes from a guttural), perhaps Old Armenian գլուխ (glux).^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡâlva]

Noun

galva f (4th declension)

1. (anatomy) head (top or front of the body, where the brain is located)

   cilvēka, suņa, čūskas galva ― a human, dog's, snake's head

   galvas muskuļi ― head muscles

   pagriezt galvu ― to turn one's head

   pamāt ar galvu ― to nod one's head

   saņemt galvu rokās ― to take one's head in one's hands

   purināt, kratīt galvu ― to shake one's head

   galva sāp ― the head hurts

   galvas tabletes ― head(ache) tablets, pills

2. (anatomy) hair, feathers (on the head)

   sirma galva ― gray hair

   mazgāt galvu ― to wash one's hair

   sukāt, ķemmēt galvu ― to brush, to comb one's hair

   galva balta kā ābele ― hair as white as an apple tree

3. on, or around, the head (1)

   likt cepuri galvā ― to put a hat on one's head

   siet lakatu galvā ― to tie a scarf around one's head

4. life

   riskēt ar savu galvu ― to gamble with one's head (= life)

5. mind, intelligence, understanding, memory

   gaiša, gudra galva ― bright, smart head

   cilvēks ar galvu ― a person with head (= wise, intelligent)

   zināt no galvas ― to know (something) from the head (= by heart)

   rēķināt galvā ― to calculate in one's head

   paturēt skaidru galvu ― to keep a clear head (= remain calm)

6. top (especially round) part of an object

   naglas, skrūves galva ― the head of a nail, a screw

   āmura, cirvja galva ― the head of a hammer, an axe

7. authoritative person, boss, leader

   valdības galva ― the head of the government

   ģimenes galva ― the head of the family

8. a person or animal as a counting unit

   septiņu galvu liela ģimene ― a family with seven heads (= members)

References

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *galwāˀ. Cognate with Proto-Slavic *golva, Latvian galva, Old Prussian gallū.

Noun

galvà f (plural galvos) stress pattern 3

1. head (part of the body)