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Definition 2024

pulkstenis

pulkstenis

Latvian

Sienas pulkstenis

Alternative forms

Noun

pulkstenis m (2nd declension)

  1. clock, watch (instrument to mesure time)
    mehāniskais, elektroniskais pulkstenis‎ ― mechanical, electronic clock
    sudraba, zelta pulkstenis‎ ― silver, golden watch
    pulkstenis tikšķ‎ ― the clock is ticking
    pulksteņa rādītāji‎ ― the hands of a clock
    pulksteņa svārsts‎ ― clock pendulum
    labot pulksteni‎ ― to fix the clock
    rokas pulkstenis‎ ― wrist (lit. arm) watch
    kabatas pulkstenis‎ ― pocket watch
    galda, sienas, torņa pulkstenis‎ ― table, wall, tower clock
    modinātāja pulkstenis, modinātājpulkstenis‎ ― alarm clock
    saules pulkstenis‎ ― sun clock
    smilšu pulkstenis‎ ― hourglass (lit. sand clock)
    biloģiskais pulkstenis‎ ― biological clock
    pulkstenis ir ātrs, iet par ātru‎ ― the clock is fast
    pulkstenis iet priekšā, ir priekšā‎ ― the clock is fast
    pulkstenis ir vēls, iet par lēnu‎ ― the clock is late
  2. the time
    pulkstenis ir četri‎ ― it is four o'clock
    pulkstenis vēl nebija pusseptiņi‎ ― it wasn't half past six yet
    cik ir pulkstenis?‎ ― what time is it?

Declension

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

References

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

Etymology

There are various theories about the origin of this word, originally meaning “church bell.” The most likely to be true derives it from an unattested verb *pulsēt ‎(“to produce sound”) (compare archaic pulstens, dialectal pulstenis ‎(“bell”), pulkstiens ‎(“bell sound, toll”)) > *pulksēt with an epenthetic k and the nominalizing suffix -enis. Other suggestions include deriving pulkstenis from pulks ‎(“regiment, military unit”) and stenēt ‎(“to groan, to make noise”) (i.e., the regiment's noisy one); from borrowed terms, Middle Low German puls ‎(“hit, blow, touch”) and stēn ‎(“stone”); from an old verb pult meaning “to fall” (since that which strikes a bell “falls” on it); from a compound of puls- and sitiens, sitenis “blow”, with an intrusive k. The word was already mentioned in a 1585 catechism (as stundu pulksten(is), “hour bell,” i.e., “clock”)[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [pùlkstɛnis]

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