nams

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *damús (“house”); The irregular d > n change in Baltic is attributed either to dissimilation (in expressions like darīt namu (“to make a house”)), or to influence from Iranic languages (compare Avestan 𐬥𐬨𐬁𐬥𐬀 (nmāna, “quarters, house”) alongside 𐬛𐬆𐬨𐬁𐬥𐬀 (dəmāna), suggesting the existence of an Iranian form *nam-). Another suggestion was that Proto-Baltic *nam- could come from *nm̥- < *dm̥-, the zero grade form of Proto-Indo-European *dṓm. Yet another possibility is the influence of the stem of words like Ancient Greek νέμω (némō, “to tend, to distribute, to take to pasture”), νομός (nomós, “pasture; division, distribution; residence, dwelling”). Cognates include Lithuanian nãmas, Old Church Slavonic домъ (domŭ), Belarusian дом (dom), Bulgarian дом (dom), Russian дом (dom), Ukrainian дім (dim), Czech dům (genitive domu), Polish dom, Sanskrit दम (dáma), Old Armenian տուն (tun), Ancient Greek δόμος (dómos), Latin domus.

Pronunciation

Noun

nams m (1st declension)

1. house, building (esp. big, multi-storey, in the city)

   dzīvojamais nams ― residential house

   daudzstāvu nams ― multi-storey house

   vairākdzīvokļu nams ― many-apartment house, building

   īres nams ― rent house (= apartment building, i.e., a building with apartments to rent)

2. house, location (of a celebration)

   kāzu nams ― wedding house (= celebration)

   nama māte, namamāte ― hostess (of a party, celebration)

3. a famous or rich family

   Rotšildu nams ― the house (= family) of Rothschild

4. fairly large building, or part of a building, which usually has administrative, cultural, public or commercial functions

   zinātnes un tehnikas nams ― House of Science and Technology

   kultūras nams ― House of Culture

   sporta nams ― sports club

   mēbeļu nams ― furniture house

   bērnu nams, bērnunams ― children's home (= orphanage)

   Baltais nams ― the White House

Declension

Synonyms

• māja

Derived terms

• bērnunams
• namamāte

References

Volapük

Noun

nams

1. plural of nam