resns

Latvian

Etymology

From the same stem as rets (thin, rare, scarce) (q.v.), with adjectival derivation: *ret-snas > resns. Maybe originally used of trees: rare, sparse trees, separate from others, tend to be thick; this sense could then be generalized to other tree-like objects. A different opinion is that resns is related to Old High German risi (giant), Old Church Slavonic редъ (redŭ, food), and perhaps, via metathesis, with Latvian vērsis (ox); but the Lithuanian cognate suggests that the original meaning of this word was “stout,” “strongly built,” not “well fed.” Cognates include Lithuanian rẽsnas (squat, strong, stout).[1]

Adjective

resns (resnais comparative, resnāks superlative, visresnākais adverb, resni)

  1. (of cylindrical objects) thick (having a relatively large cross-section)
    resni baļķithick logs
    resns zīmulisthick, stubby pencil
    resns stumbrsthick, stout trunk
    resna virtuve, stieple, caurulethick rope, wire, tube
    resni diegithick thread
    resnas adatasthick needles
    resnā zarnacolon (lit. thick intestine)
  2. (of people, animals, body parts) fat, overweight
    resns vīrsfat man
    resns vēdersfat belly
    resna tirgus sievafat market woman, lady
    resns sivēnsfat piglet
  3. (colloquial, of sounds) having a low timbre
    Jaņuka resnā balssJaņuks' thick voice

Declension

Synonyms

  • (of leaf- or wall-like objects): biezs
  • (of people): tukls

Antonyms

Derived terms

References

  1. Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), resns”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN
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