мех

Belarusian

Etymology

From Middle Belarusian мѣхъ (měx), from Old East Slavic мѣхъ (měxŭ), from Proto-Slavic *měxъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *maišás, from Proto-Indo-European *moysós (ram, wool).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mʲex]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

мех • (mjex) m inan (genitive ме́ха, nominative plural мяхі́, genitive plural мяхо́ў)

1. sack

   Synonym: мяшо́к (mjašók)

2. fur

   Synonym: фу́тра (fútra)

3. bellows

Declension

Declension of мех (inan velar masc-form accent-c)

	singular	plural
nominative	мех mjex	мяхі́ mjaxí
genitive	ме́ха mjéxa	мяхо́ў mjaxów
dative	ме́ху mjéxu	мяха́м mjaxám
accusative	мех mjex	мяхі́ mjaxí
instrumental	ме́хам mjéxam	мяха́мі mjaxámi
locative	ме́ху mjéxu	мяха́х mjaxáx
count form	—	ме́хі1 mjéxi1

¹Used with the numbers 2, 3, 4 and higher numbers after 20 ending in 2, 3, and 4.

References

• “мех” in Belarusian–Russian dictionaries and Belarusian dictionaries at slounik.org

Bulgarian

Etymology

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mɛx]
• Rhymes: -ɛx

Noun

мех • (meh) m

1. (doublet) alternative form of мях (mjah, “sack”)

Declension

Declension of мех

	singular	plural
indefinite	мех meh	ме́хове méhove
definite (subject form)	ме́хът méhăt	ме́ховете méhovete
definite (object form)	ме́ха méha
count form	—	ме́ха méha

References

• “мех”, in БЕРОН (Български езикови ресурси онлайн) [BERON (Bulgarian Language Resources Online)] (in Bulgarian), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2024
• “мех”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “мех”, in ЛексИт [LexIt] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “мех”, in Infolex Bulgarian Dictionary (in Bulgarian), Institute for Bulgarian Language, 2014

Further reading

• Georgiev, Vladimir I., Duridanov, I. V., editors (1995), “мях, мех”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 4 (мѝнго² – па̀дам), Sofia: Prof. Marin Drinov Pubg. House, →ISBN, pages 451-452

Pannonian Rusyn

Etymology

Inherited from Old Slovak mech, from Proto-Slavic *měxъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɛx]
• Rhymes: -ɛx
• Hyphenation: мех

Noun

мех (mex) m inan (diminutive мещок, augmentative мехиско or мешиско, relational adjective мехов)

1. sack, bag

   мех кромплї ― mex kromplji ― a sack of potatoes

2. bellows

   мех на ґайдох ― mex na gajdox ― bellows on bagpipes

3. goatskin, waterskin

   мех за вино ― mex za vino ― wineskin (literally, “goatskin for wine”)

Declension

Declension of мех (mex)

	singular	plural
nominative	мех (mex)	мехи (mexi)
genitive	меха (mexa)	мехох (mexox)
dative	меху (mexu)	мехом (mexom)
accusative	мех (mex)	мехи (mexi)
instrumental	мехом (mexom)	мехами (mexami)
locative	меху (mexu)	мехох (mexox)
vocative	меху (mexu)	мехи (mexi)

Related terms

nouns

• мехар m pers (mexar)
• мехир m inan (mexir)

References

• Medʹeši, H.; Fejsa, M.; Timko-Djitko, O. (2010), “мех”, in Ramač, Ju., editor, Руско-сербски словнїк [Rusyn-Serbian Dictionary] (in Pannonian Rusyn), Novi Sad: Faculty of Philosophy, page 441
• Fejsa, M.; Šlemender, M.; Čelʹovski, S. (2022), “sack”, in Анґлийско-руски словнїк [English-Rusyn Dictionary] (in Pannonian Rusyn), Novi Sad: Faculty of Philosophy; Ruska matka, →ISBN, page 260

Russian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mʲex]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (Saint Petersburg):

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Old East Slavic мѣхъ (měxŭ), from Proto-Slavic *měxъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *maišás, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *moysós. Cognates include Ukrainian міх (mix), Belarusian мех (mjex), Old Church Slavonic мѣхъ (měxŭ), Serbo-Croatian мијех/mijeh, Polish miech, Czech měch.

Compare typologically ко́жа (kóža) (<~ коза́ (kozá)); лоси́ны (losíny) (< лось (losʹ)). Also compare English goatskin.

Alternative forms

• мѣхъ (měx) — pre-1918 spelling

Noun

мех • (mex) m inan (genitive ме́ха, nominative plural меха́, genitive plural мехо́в, relational adjective мехово́й)

1. fur

Declension

Declension of мех (inan masc-form velar-stem accent-c irreg) 

	singular	plural
nominative	ме́х méx	меха́△ mexá△
genitive	ме́ха méxa	мехо́в mexóv
dative	ме́ху méxu	меха́м mexám
accusative	ме́х méx	меха́△ mexá△
instrumental	ме́хом méxom	меха́ми mexámi
prepositional	ме́хе méxe	меха́х mexáx
partitive	ме́ху méxu
locative	меху́ mexú

^△ Irregular.

Derived terms

• меховщи́к m anim (mexovščík)
• меховой (mexovoj)
• экоме́х m (ekoméx)

Compounds:

• ры́бий мех m (rýbij mex)

Phrases

• не мех, а смех (ne mex, a smex)

Related terms

• мешо́к m (mešók)

Descendants

• → Komi-Zyrian: мек (mek)

Noun

мех • (mex) m inan (genitive ме́ха, nominative plural мехи́ or меха́, genitive plural мехо́в)

1. bellows
2. goatskin, wineskin, waterskin

   Synonym: бурдю́к (burdjúk)

Declension

Declension of мех (inan masc-form velar-stem accent-c irreg) 

	singular	plural
nominative	ме́х méx	мехи́, меха́△ mexí, mexá△
genitive	ме́ха méxa	мехо́в mexóv
dative	ме́ху méxu	меха́м mexám
accusative	ме́х méx	мехи́, меха́△ mexí, mexá△
instrumental	ме́хом méxom	меха́ми mexámi
prepositional	ме́хе méxe	меха́х mexáx

^△ Irregular.

References

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), “мех”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), “мись”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress

Further reading

• Dal, Vladimir (1880–1882), “мех”, in Толковый Словарь живаго великорускаго языка [Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language] (in Russian), 2nd edition, Publication of the bookseller-typographer Wolf, M. O.
• Dal, Vladimir (1880–1882), “вишняковый мех”, in Толковый Словарь живаго великорускаго языка [Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language] (in Russian), 2nd edition, Publication of the bookseller-typographer Wolf, M. O.
• Dal, Vladimir (1880–1882), “мись”, in Толковый Словарь живаго великорускаго языка [Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language] (in Russian), 2nd edition, Publication of the bookseller-typographer Wolf, M. O.

Etymology 2

Noun

мех • (mex) f inan pl

1. genitive plural of ме́ха (méxa)

Serbo-Croatian

Alternative forms

• ми̑х (Ikavian)
• мије̑х (Ijekavian)

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *měxъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *maišás, from Proto-Indo-European *moysós.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mêːx/

Noun

ме̑х m inan (Latin spelling mȇh)

1. blower, bellows
2. goatskin, wineskin

Declension

Declension of мех

	singular	plural
nominative	ме̑х	ме̏хови
genitive	меха	мехова
dative	меху	меховима
accusative	мех	мехове
vocative	меше	мехови
locative	меху	меховима
instrumental	мехом	меховима

Tajik

як мех

Etymology

Inherited from Classical Persian میخ (mēx).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mex/, [meχ]

Noun

мех • (mex) (Persian spelling میخ)

1. nail (A spike-shaped metal fastener)
2. peg (cylindrical wooden or metal object used to fasten)

Inflection

Inflection of мех

		singular	plural
sound	broken1	or broken1
bare		мех (mex)	мехҳо (mexho)	[Term?]	[Term?]
definite object		мехро (mexro)	мехҳоро (mexhoro)	ро (ro)	ро (ro)
izofa		мехи (mex-i)	мехҳои (mexho-yi)	и (i)	и (i)
indefinite, definite relative	bare	мехе (mexe)	—	—	—
	object	мехеро (mexero)	—	—	—

Possessive forms of мех

		singular	plural
sound	broken1	broken1
bare	1st singular	мехам (mexam)	мехҳоям (mexhoyam)	ам (am)	ам (am)
	2nd singular	мехат (mexat)	мехҳоят (mexhoyat)	ат (at)	ат (at)
	3rd singular	мехаш (mexaš)	мехҳояш (mexhoyaš)	аш (aš)	аш (aš)
	1st plural	мехамон (mexamon)	мехҳоямон (mexhoyamon)	амон (amon)	амон (amon)
	2nd plural	мехатон (mexaton)	мехҳоятон (mexhoyaton)	атон (aton)	атон (aton)
	3rd plural	мехашон (mexašon)	мехҳояшон (mexhoyašon)	ашон (ašon)	ашон (ašon)
		singular	plural
sound	broken1	broken1
definite object	1st singular	мехамро (mexamro)	мехҳоямро (mexhoyamro)	амро (amro)	амро (amro)
	2nd singular	мехатро (mexatro)	мехҳоятро (mexhoyatro)	атро (atro)	атро (atro)
	3rd singular	мехашро (mexašro)	мехҳояшро (mexhoyašro)	ашро (ašro)	ашро (ašro)
	1st plural	мехамонро (mexamonro)	мехҳоямонро (mexhoyamonro)	амонро (amonro)	амонро (amonro)
	2nd plural	мехатонро (mexatonro)	мехҳоятонро (mexhoyatonro)	атонро (atonro)	атонро (atonro)
	3rd plural	мехашонро (mexašonro)	мехҳояшонро (mexhoyašonro)	ашонро (ašonro)	ашонро (ašonro)

Further reading

• “мех”, in Вожаҷӯ / واژه‌جو [Vožajü] (in Tajik), 2026