sermulis

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Latvian[edit]

 sermulis on Latvian Wikipedia
Sermulis (vasarā)
Sermulis (ziemā)

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From *serm- +‎ -ulis, from Proto-Baltic *šerm-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱer- (gray color) with an extra -m (whence also Latvian sirms (gray), q.v.). Cognates include Lithuanian šarmuõ, šermuõ, šermuonė̃lis, Old High German harmo, German Hermelin.[1]

Pronunciation[edit]

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Noun[edit]

sermulis m (2nd declension)

  1. stoat, ermine (a mustelid species of the weasel family, Mustela erminea, whose fur becomes completely white in winter)
    sermuļa āda, sermuļādaermine fur
    sermuļa apkakleermine (fur) collar
    sermulis ir ļoti derīgs dzīvnieks, jo iznīcina daudz peļuthe stoat is a very useful animal, because it kills many mice
    sermulis medī žurkas, ūdensžurkas, peles, sīkos putnus, uzbrūk pat irbēm un zaķiemthe stoat hunts rats, water rats, mice, little birds, attacking even partridges and hares

Declension[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

References[edit]

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