English

Noun

zils

1. plural of zil

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *žil-as, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- ‎(“to shine”), the same stem as zelts ‎(“gold”) (q.v.) and several color terms (compare dzeltens ‎(“yellow”), zaļš ‎(“green”). This word must have been formed relatively late, after the differentiation of Baltic and Slavic, since, unlike “yellow” and “green,” it has no counterparts among the Slavic terms for “blue.” Cognates include Lithuanian žìlas ‎(“gray, silvery-white”).^[1]

Adjective

Zils

zils (def. zilais, comp. zilāks, sup. viszilākais; adv. zili)

1. blue (the same (or similar) color as, e.g., a clear sky)

   zila krāsa‎ ― blue color

   tumši, gaiši zils‎ ― light, dark blue

   zilas acis‎ ― blue eyes

   zili dūmi‎ ― blue smoke

   zilais krusts‎ ― the blue cross (veterinarian aid sign)

2. blue (having a tone or hue similar to blue when compared to other, related elements)

   zilie ceriņi‎ ― blue lilacs

Declension

Derived terms

• zilgans, iezils
• zilums

See also

References

1. ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “zils”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, ISBN 9984-700-12-7