zvīņa

See also: zvīna, zvīnā, and zvīņā

Latvian

Alternative forms

(dialectal forms) zvīna, zvīne, zvīnis

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *žu(w)- (with the suffixes *-in and (feminine) *-(y)a), from the same stem as Latvian zivs (“fish”) (q.v.).^[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [zvīːɲa]

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Noun

zvīņa m

(dialectal) genitive singular of zvīnis

zvīņa f (4th declension)

(chiefly in the plural) scales (little bone-like plates that cover and protect the body of fish, reptiles, etc.)
raga zvīņas ― bone scales

zivju zvīņas ― fish scales

zivis ar spožām zvīņām ― fish with shiny scales

nokasīt zvīņas ― to scrape off the scales

zvīņu karpa ― scaly carp (breed of carp with smooth, golden scales)
(chiefly in the plural) scales (diverse more or less flat growths on various plant organs; small, reduced plant organs or their parts)
čiekura zvīņas ― pine cone scales

tas bija vecs dīķis, zaļām aļģu zvīņām klāts ― it was an old pond, covered with green algae scales

sīpols var būt līdz 7 cm garumā un līdz 3 cm diametrā, to klāj brūnas zvīņas ― an onion can be up to 7 cm long and up to 3 cm in diameter, covered by brown scales
(chiefly in the plural) scale-like parts, layers (on a substance)
plānas kārtainas ledus zvīņas ― thin, laminated ice scales (on a puddle)

tā sastāv no sīkām zvīņām, kas ir kristāliskā grafīta kārtas ― it consists of tiny scales, which are the layers of crystalline graphite
(chiefly in the plural) skin flakes, scales (made of dead skin cells)
blaugznu zvīņas ― dandruff scales, flakes

sausa āda ir jutīga, caurspīdīga, dažreiz tā viegli lobās, it kā būtu noklāta ar zvīņām ― dry skin is sensitive, clear, sometimes it sheds easily, as if it were covered with scales

Usage notes

In all senses, the plural forms (zvīņas, etc.) are much more frequently used than the singular forms (zvīņa, etc.).

Declension

Declension of zvīņa (4th declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	zvīņa	zvīņas
accusative (akuzatīvs)	zvīņu	zvīņas
genitive (ģenitīvs)	zvīņas	zvīņu
dative (datīvs)	zvīņai	zvīņām
instrumental (instrumentālis)	zvīņu	zvīņām
locative (lokatīvs)	zvīņā	zvīņās
vocative (vokatīvs)	zvīņa	zvīņas

Derived terms

zvīņains

References

^ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “zvīņa”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎^[1] (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

[1] Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “zvīņa”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎^[1] (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

[1]