blāvs

• From Proto-Baltic *blāwas, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlew-, *bʰlēw-, *bʰlāw-, from the zero grade of *bʰel- (“shiny, white”) (whence also Latvian balts (“white”)) with an extra -w.
• Some researchers consider blāvs a borrowing from Middle Low German blā, blāw, from Old Saxon blāo (and likewise Lithuanian blãvas a borrowing from Latvian).

Cognates include Lithuanian blãvas (“pale”), blausùs (“cloudy; unclear, dim; gloomy; sleepy”), Old High German blāo (“blue; yellow”), German blau (“blue”), Latin flāvus (“golden, yellow; flaxen; blonde”).

• IPA^(key):

• Audio:

  (file)

blāvs (definite blāvais, comparative blāvāks, superlative visblāvākais, adverb blāvi)

1. (of light, light sources) dim, faint, wan (weak; proudicing only dim, faint light)

   blāva spuldze ― dim (light) bulb

   blāvs mēness ― dim moon

   blāva gaisma ― dim light

   blāvajā mēness gaismā no durvīm uz manu pusi kūņojās kaut kas garš un balts ― in the dim moonlight something long and white was dragging itself from the door to my side

2. dull (not transparent, not clear)

   blāva stikla vāze ― dull, translucid glass vase

   aiz blāvās, putekļu klātās rūts pazibēja smaidīga meitenes seja ― behind the dull, dust-covered (window) pane flashed a smiling girl's face

3. dull, lackluster (not shiny, not emitting or reflecting (much) light; pale, whitish)

   blāvās krāsas ― pale colors

   Es ieskatos Harijam acīs; bet šodien tās ir blāvas ― I look into Harijs' eyes; but today they are dull

• (of "dim, faint"): bāls, krēslains
• (of "dull, not clear, not shiny"): nespodrs, necaurredzams, necaurspīdīgs

• (antonym(s) of “of "dim, faint"”): gaišs, spīdīgs, spilgts, spožs, spulgs
• (antonym(s) of “of "dull, not clear"”): dzidrs, skaidrs, caurredzams, caurspīdīgs
• (antonym(s) of “of "dull, not shiny"”): spodrs

• blāvums

• blāvot