zilonis

Latvian

Zilonis

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian слон (slon) (itself probably a borrowing from Turkic), made into a 2nd-declension masculine noun (ending -is); the initial z apparently results from the influence of zils (“blue”). This word is first mentioned (as a 1st-declension masculine noun, zilons) in 19th-century dictionaries. It replaced previous borrowings like elevants, elefants, still in use well into the 19th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ziluònis]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

zilonis m (2nd declension)

1. elephant (fam. Elephantidae)

   ziloņu mātīte ― female elephant

   iet kā zilonis ― to walk as an elephant (= heavily, clumsily)

   ziloņu bars ― elephant herd

Declension

Declension of zilonis (2nd declension)

	singular	plural
nominative	zilonis	ziloņi
genitive	ziloņa	ziloņu
dative	zilonim	ziloņiem
accusative	ziloni	ziloņus
instrumental	ziloni	ziloņiem
locative	zilonī	ziloņos
vocative	ziloni	ziloņi