vērsis

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *aw-, *awe- (“to moisten, to sprinkle, to flow”) with an extra -rs (and with lengthening of the vowel, caused by the intonation: er̀ → è:r). The original meaning probably evolved from “one who inseminates” (i.e., from which seed flows) → “male” → “male cattle, ox.” Cognates include Lithuanian ver̃šis (“calf; (dialectal) ox”), Old Prussian werstian (“calf”) (maybe *wersistian?), Sanskrit वृष (vṛṣa, “bull; male”), वृषन् (vṛṣan, “man; stallion, ox”), Avestan 𐬬𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬥𐬌‎ (varšni, “ram”), Latin verrēs (“boar”).^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [vɛ̀ːrsis]

• (file)

Noun

vērsis m (2nd declension)

1. ox (male cattle, usually castrated, often used as a beast of burden)

   darba vērsis ― working ox

   vēršu pajūgs ― oxcart

   vērša gaļa ― ox (= cow) meat, beef

   vēršu cīņas ― ox fight (= bullfight, in Spain)

References