Latgalian

Noun

ērce f

1. mite

Latvian

Ērce

Ērce

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *erkyā- (with er̄ > ē:r), from Proto-Indo-European *er- ‎(“to tear, to pierce”) (whence also ērkšķis ‎(“thorn”), q.v.) with an extra -(e)k. The original meaning was probably “one who pierces, tears.” Cognates include Lithuanian érkė, Sanskrit ऋक्षरः ‎(r̥kṣaraḥ, “sting, thorn, spike”), रक्षः ‎(rákṣaḥ, “harm”), Ancient Greek ἐρέχτω ‎(erékhtō, “to tear, to claw”), Latin rīcinus ‎(“sheep, dog parasite”).^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɛ̄ːɾtsɛ]

Noun

ērce f (5th declension)

1. tick, mite (numerous species of tiny arachnids of subclass Acari that live as parasites on various plants and animals)

   kamēr zirgs dzēra, zemniek izrāva ērci, kas bija piezīdušies kaklam‎ ― while the horse drank, the farmer removed the tick that had been sucking at the (horse's) neck

   atgulās tīfu var pārnest arī ērces‎ ― also mites can transmit typhus

Declension

References

1. ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns. 1992, 2001. Latviešu etimoloģijas vārdnīca. Rīga: AVOTS. ISBN 9984700127.