spārns

From Proto-Baltic *sparnas (with lengthening of the *a), from Proto-Indo-European *sper-no- (“wing”), from the stem *per-, *sper- (with s-mobile; or else the /s/ may result from the influence of the stem *sper- (“to twitch, to flicker”)), perhaps meaning originally “over (away from)”, then “carry (away)”, “fly (away)”. Cognates include Lithuanian spar̃nas, Old Church Slavonic перо (pero, “feather”), Russian перо́ (peró), Ukrainian перо́ (peró), Bulgarian перо́ (peró), Upper Sorbian pjero, German Farn, English fern, Hittite (partau̯ar, “feather”), Sanskrit पर्ण (parṇá, “feather; leaf”).^[1]

• IPA^(key):

This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

spārns m (1st declension)

1. (anatomy, of birds, insects, bats) wing (one of a pair of flight organs)

   putna, tauriņa, sienāža spārns ― a bird's, butterfly's, grasshopper's wing

   izplest spārnus ― to open, spread one's wings

   sakļaust spārnus ― to close one's wings

   spārnu vēzieni ― wingbeats

2. wing (plate-like appendage in a large machine that interacts with the environment (e.g., air, water))

   lidmašīnas spārns ― airplane wing

   kuģa dzenskrūves spārni ― ship propeller wings

3. plaque-like elongated element or part in a machine

   velosidpēda dakšas spārni ― bicycle fork prongs (lit. wings)

4. wing (lateral part or extension of a building)

   no vienas ēkas spārna uz otru ― from one wing of the building to the other

   labajā spārnā atrodas bibliotēka ― the library is situated in the right wing

5. (military) flank

   pulkvedis ar savu adjutantu piejāja līdz pozīcijas labajam spārnam ― the colonel and his aide rode up to (their) position's right flank

6. wing (a group of people, within a larger group)

   filozofijas skolas radikālais spārns ― the radical wing of the philosophical school

• spārnots