mats
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /mæts/
- Rhymes: -æts
Aromanian
Alternative forms
French
Gothic
Latvian
Etymology
From Proto-Baltic, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *mat-, from Proto-Indo-European *mē-, *m-et- (“to mark, to measure”), whence also Latvian mest (“to throw”) (older meaning “to measure”, from Proto-Indo-European *mē-ti “measure,” “wisdom”). The original meaning was thus “measure,” “mark” (a derived meaning of “compensation, payment (for milling grain)” < “amount measured to be given as payment” is attested in older sources and in some dialects). The semantic evolution was “measure” > “body part used as measure unit” > “small measure / small body part used as measure unit” > “hair” (note that human and animal hair (wool) was an ancient small measure unit among many peoples, including ancient Latvians). In some expressions, traces of the earlier meaning of mats as “small measure unit” can still be seen: uz mata “correct,” mats matā “very precise,” ne par matu “not at all.” Cognates include Lithuanian mãtas (“measure, measure unit”), Russian метить (métit’, “to mark, to label”), Sanskrit माति (māti), मिमाति (mā́ti, mimā́ti, “to measure”), Albanian matë (“measure”).[1]
Noun
mats m (1st declension)
- (anatomy, usually plural) (head) hair (set of keratin filaments which grow on the top of a human being's head)
- gaiši, rudi, tumši, sirmi mati ― light (= blond), red, dark, gray hair
- kastaņbrūni mati ― auburn hair
- kupli, sprogaini, gludi mati ― bushy, curly, smooth hair
- normāli, taukaini, sausi mati ― normal, greasy, dry hair
- matu cirtas, sprogas ― hair curls, locks
- matu pīne ― hair braid, plait, tress
- apgriezt matus ― to trim one's hair, to have a haircut
- nogriezt matus īsus ― to cut one's hair short
- nogriezt, nodzīt matus (uz nulli) ― tu cut off one's hair (to zero)
- matu rullītis ― hair roller
- matu laka ― hairspray
- matu eļļa, mateļļa ― hair oil
- matu (sa)kārtojums ― hairdo
- matu mezgls ― hair twists, knots
- līdzās ceļiniekiem stāv meitene ar pelēkām matu pīnēm ― a girl with gray hair braids is standing next to the traveler
- dārzā līkņāja vecs vīrs bez neviena mata uz galvas ― in the garden an old man without any hair on (his) head was stooping
- (anatomy, singular or plural) each keratin filament on the body of human beings or other animals
- mata stiebrs ― hair shaft (above the skin)
- mata sakne ― hair root (in the skin)
- mata sīpols ― hair bulb (under the skin)
- uz ķermeņa, rokām un kājām mati ir maigi, plāni, tos vēl sauc par pūku... uzacu, plakstu mati ir gari, saraini ― on the body, arms and legs hairs are soft (and) thin, they are also called fuzz... eyebrow, eyelid hair (in contrast) is long, stubbly
- āpša ādu kažokrūpniecībā maz izmanto, jo mati rupji un cieti ― badger skin is not used much in the fur industry, because (its) hairs are coarse and hard
Declension
Synonyms
- (of "animal hair"): spalva
Derived terms
References
- Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “mats”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN