mikls

Latvian

Etymology

From an unattested verb *mikt (“to press, to hit”) (with an extra l), from Proto-Baltic *mik-, from Proto-Indo-European *mei-, *mi- (“to press, to hit”) (whence also Latvian miegt (“to squeeze”)) with an extra k. The semantic evolution was probably “hit, beaten, squeezed” > “made soft by hitting, squeezing” > “made soft (by other reasons, e.g. humidity)” > “humid, damp.” Cognates include Lithuanian mìklas, miklùs (“agile, nimble, flexible”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Adjective

mikls (definite miklais, comparative miklāks, superlative vismiklākais, adverb mikli)

1. a little humid, moist, damp (having absorbed or containing some moisture, being covered by some moisture)

   miklas drēbes ― humid clothes

   mikls gaiss ― humid air

   mikls asfalts ― damp asphalt

   mikla piere ― moist, clammy forehead

   miklas bērzu lapas ― humid birch leaves

   tik gluda, mikla smilts un dzidrs ūdens ― such smooth, moist sand and (such) clear water

   es redzu, ka Rūdolfa Lejieša acis miklas ― I (can) see that Rūdolfs Lejiešs' eyes (are) humid (= he cried)

   spilvens rītos mikls no asarām, kuras plūst pašas kā atkusis ledus ― the pillow in the mornings (is) humid from the tears that flow like thawing ice

2. humid, moist (containing a little more water vapor than usual)

   Pār Inesi pūta mikls vējš ― a moist wind blew over Inese

   bet klimats gan draņķīgs, tik mikls un auksts, ka to var izturēt vienīgi šie četrkājainie ― but the climate (is) really lousy, so humid and cold that only those four-legged ones (= sheep) can put up with it

Declension

Synonyms

• mitrs
• slapjš
• valgs, valgans

Antonyms

• sauss

Derived terms

• miklums

References