pirksts

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *pírštan, from Proto-Indo-European *per (“over”) (whence also Latvian par, q.v.) in its reduced grade *pr̥, with *stā- (“to stand”) (whence also Latvian stāt (“to stop”), q.v.). The original meaning was therefore “(the one(s)) standing in front, directed to(ward) the front.” Cognates include Lithuanian pir̃štas, Old Prussian pīrsten (probably masculine accusative), nagepristis (“toe nails, claws”) (< *nagepirstis), Proto-Slavic *pьrstъ (Russian archaic перст (perst), Ukrainian перст (perst), Upper Sorbian porst, Bulgarian пръст (prǎst), Czech prst, Polish parst), Old High German first (“spike, protuberance”), German First (“ridge, top”), Sanskrit पृष्ठम् (pṛṣṭhám, “back, tip, ending”), Avestan 𐬞𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬙𐬀 (paršta, “backbone, spine”), Latin postis (“post, doorpost”) (< *porstis “the one standing in front”).[1]

pirksts m (1st declension)

1. (anatomy) finger, toe (movable extremities of the hand or foot)

   slaidi, gari pirksti ― long, slender fingers

   līki pirksti ― crooked fingers

   pirksta locītava ― knuckle (lit. finger joint)

   pirksta kauli, gali ― finger bones, tips

   pirkstu nospiedums ― fingerprint

   lielais pirksts ― big toe

   rādītāja pirksts, rādītājpirksts ― index (lit. showing) finger

   vidējais pirksts ― middle finger

   skaitīt uz pirkstiem ― to count on one's fingers

2. finger (parts of a glove that cover the fingers)

   noadīt cimda pirkstu ― to knit a glove finger

3. elongated component or part of a mechanism

   virzuļa pirksts ― piston (connecting) rod

• pirksta locītava
• pirkstiņš
• virzuļa pirksts