Велес

See also: велес

Macedonian

Богот Велес

Etymology

The current city's name dates to the 7th century with the arrival of the Slavs. It is thought to derive from the phrase в (v) лес (les, “in the forest”) referencing the dense woods that once surrounded the area. However, some Slavists derive the name directly from the god Veles, protector of herds and commerce, reflecting the region's pastoral landscape of grassy hills and its proximity to the Vardar River.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈvɛlɛs]

• Audio:

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Proper noun

Велес • (Veles) m (relational adjective велешки)

1. Veles (a city in North Macedonia)

Derived terms

• велешанец m (velešanec), велешанка f (velešanka)

Proper noun

Велес • (Veles) m

1. (Slavic mythology) Veles (god of the fertile earth, livestock, waters, and the underworld)

Alternative forms

• Волос m (Volos)

See also

• Свети Василиј m (Sveti Vasilij)

Russian

Etymology

Inherited from Old East Slavic Велесъ (Velesŭ). Likely cognate with вели́кий (velíkij) (compare бе́лый (bélyj) → беле́сый (belésyj)), thus ultimately deriving from Proto-Slavic *velьjь (“great”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈvʲelʲɪs]
• IPA^(key): [vʲɪˈlʲes]

Proper noun

Ве́лес or Веле́с • (Véles or Velés) m anim (genitive Ве́леса or Веле́са, nominative plural Ве́лесы or Веле́сы, genitive plural Ве́лесов or Веле́сов)

1. (Slavic mythology) Veles (god of earth, livestock, and the underworld)

Declension

Declension of Ве́лес, Веле́с (anim masc-form hard-stem accent-a) 

	singular	plural
nominative	Ве́лес, Веле́с Véles, Velés	Ве́лесы, Веле́сы Vélesy, Velésy
genitive	Ве́леса, Веле́са Vélesa, Velésa	Ве́лесов, Веле́сов Vélesov, Velésov
dative	Ве́лесу, Веле́су Vélesu, Velésu	Ве́лесам, Веле́сам Vélesam, Velésam
accusative	Ве́леса, Веле́са Vélesa, Velésa	Ве́лесов, Веле́сов Vélesov, Velésov
instrumental	Ве́лесом, Веле́сом Vélesom, Velésom	Ве́лесами, Веле́сами Vélesami, Velésami
prepositional	Ве́лесе, Веле́се Vélese, Velése	Ве́лесах, Веле́сах Vélesax, Velésax

References

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “Велес”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress