biedrs

A nominalized version of an earlier adjective biedrs “bound, linked”, from Proto-Baltic *bend- with an extra (adjectivizing) -ro (cf. stipt (“to become rigid, to harden”) : stiprs (“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- (“to join, to bind, to tie”), whence also Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽 (bindan), Old High German bintan, German binden, English bind. Cognates include Lithuanian beñdras (“comrade, participant; (adj.) common, shared”).^[1]

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biedrs m (1st declension, feminine form: biedre or biedrene)

1. (male) colleague, mate, comrade (a person with whom one works, studies, together, e.g. as part of a group or team)

   darba biedrs ― workmate

   cīņu biedrs ― comrade-in-arms (lit. fight, struggle mate)

   klases biedrs, skolas biedrs ― classmate, schoolmate

2. (male) companion, mate, fellow (a person with whom one spends time, travels, plays, lives)

   istabas biedrs ― roommate

   ceļa biedrs, ceļabiedrs ― fellow traveller

   sarunu biedrs ― interlocutor (lit. conversation mate)

   dzīves biedrs, dzīvesbiedrs ― husband, spouse (lit. life mate)

   laika biedrs, laikabiedrs ― contemporary (lit. time mate)

   satikt bērnu dienu rotaļu biedru ― to meet a childhood playmate

   Ceplis uzmeta zīmīgu skatienu pārējiem galda biedriem ― Ceplis cast a significant look at (his) other table mates

3. (of organizations) (male) member, fellow

   (komunistiskās) partijas biedrs ― (communist) party member

   arodbiedrības biedri ― union members

   biedra karte ― member(ship) card

   uzņemt jaunus biedrus organizācijā ― to receive new members into the organization

   maksāt biedru naudu ― to pay a membership fee

   goda biedrs, godabiedrs ― honorary member

4. (dated, during Soviet occupation) (male) comrade (generic form of address to people with whom the speaker is not personally acquainted)

   godājamie biedri! ― honorable comrades!

   sanāksmē piedalījās biedrs Alksnis ― comrade Alksnis participated in the meeting

   biedrs profesors izteica interesantu priekšlikumu ― comrade professor made an interesting proposal

• dzīvesbiedrs, dzīves biedrs