žoklis

The origin of this word is not clear. Some connect it with žaunas (“branchiae”), from Proto-Baltic *žyuo-, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵ(y)ew-, *ǵyow- (“to chew, to chaw”); others compare it with žāklis (“pitchfork”) (cf. the archaic term žokla (“pitchfork”)). The latter comparison is more likely to be true.^[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.

žoklis m (2nd declension)

1. (anatomy) jaw (facial bone which supports the teeth; area of the face where this bone is located)

   apakšējais, augšējais žoklis ― lower, upper jaw

   žokļa kauls ― jaw bone

   spēcīgi žokļi ― strong jaws

   plati atplest žokļus ― to open one's jaws wide

   kustināt žokļus ēdot ― to move (one's) jaws (while) eating

   cilvēkam pilnā zobu rindā katrā žoklī ir 16 zobu, tātad pavisam 32 ― people have in every jaw a set of 16 teeth, i.e., in total 32

2. (of animals) jaw (the corresponding structure in other animals)

   zivs muti norobežo kaula žokļi; žokļos ir sīki, atpakaļ atliekti zobiņi, kas ļoti labi noder barības notveršanai ― a fish's mouth is delimited by the jaw bones; in the jaws (there) are small, back-curved denticles, which are very useful for capturing food

3. (technology) jaw-like component in a machine, tool, etc., for catching, holding or compressing something

   drupinātajā žoklis ― crusher jaw

   beidzot ekskavatora kausa žokļi paveras, grants smagi noplakšķ kravas kastē ― finally the excavator bucket jaws opened, (and) the gravel splattered heavily in the cargo box