agrs

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *agras, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eg-ro-s, from *h₂eg- with -ro “spike, top, beginning.” This stem is apparently a variant of *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”), whence Ancient Greek ἄκρος (ákros, “sharp, pointed”), Latin ācer (“sharp”) (< *h₂ḱrós). If this is true, Latvian agrs would originally have meant “sharp,” from which “fast, quick” and finally “early.” Cognates include Hittite [script needed] (ḫegur, “peak, cliff”), Sanskrit अग्र (ágra, “spike, peak, beginning”), Avestan 𐬀𐬔𐬭𐬋 (agrō, “first”), 𐬀𐬔𐬭𐬆𐬨 (agrəm, “beginning”).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [aɡɾs]
(file)

Adjective

agrs (definite agrais, comparative agrāks, superlative visagrākais, adverb agri)

  1. early (relating to the beginning phase of some period of time)
    agrs rīts ― early morning
    no agra rīta līdz vēlam vakaram ― from early morning until late night
    agrais feodālisms ― early feudalism
    agrā renesanse ― early Renaissance
    bija vēl agrs pavasaris, naktī pieturējās sals, un sniegs vēl nebija nokusis ― it was still early spring, the night was still frosty, and the snow had not yet melted
  2. early (relating to the first morning hours)
    celties agri ― to get up early
    vēl agrs... saule nav lēkusi, bet debess rīta pamalē sāk jau sārtot ― still early... the sun has not risen, but in the morning sky horizon it is already becoming red (= light)
  3. early (relating to the initial periods of a person's life)
    agrā jaunībā uzsākt darba gaitas ― to start work at an early age (lit. in early youth)
  4. early (which happens before its usual time)
    šogad agrs pavasaris ― this year (there is) an early spring
    atnākt par agru ― to come too early
    jau vakars... no slapjajiem laukiem kāpj gaisā bieza migla... aizklāj debesis un atveļ agru tumsu ― already evening... from the wet fields a light, thick smog rose... it shielded the sky and allowed an early darkness
  5. early (which happens, appears before others of the same type)
    braukt ar agro vilcienu ― to travel on an early train
    agri braucēji ― early riders, travelers
    agrie dārzeņi ― early vegetables
    Priekuļu agrie kartupeļi aizceļojuši arī uz tādiem tāliem rajoniem kā Piejūras novads, Kamčatka... ― early potatoes from Priekuļi have traveled to such far-away regions as Primorsky Krai or Kamchatka (Peninsula)

Declension

Synonyms

  • agrīns

Antonyms

Derived terms

References

  1. Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “agrs”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN
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