# mazs
## Latvian
### Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *maźas, from Proto-Indo-European *meǵʰ-, *moǵʰ- (“big, small, i.e., size extremes)”). Cognates include Lithuanian mãžas, Sudovian maz, Old Prussian massais ([mazais], “smaller”),, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌲𐌿𐍃 (magus, “boy (i.e., little)”), Old English micel (“large, big, great”) (English much), Albanian madh (“big”), Old Armenian մեծ (mec, “great, large”), Sanskrit मह (mahá, “great, mighty, strong, abundant”), Old Irish maige (“great, large”), Ancient Greek μέγας (mégas, “big, large”), Latin magnus (“big”).

### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)

### Adjective

mazs (definite mazais, comparative mazāks, superlative vismazākais, adverb maz)
* small, little (having less than the (average, fitting) size of other similar objects, beings, areas, etc.)
    mazs cilvēks, dzīvnieks, galds ― small person, animal, table
    mazas kājas ― small feet, legs
    cepure par mazu ― a hat too small
    mazais sikspārnis ― the small bat (smaller than other species)
    maza pļava ― small meadow
    mazs ciemats ― small village
* small, short (having less than the (average) distance between start and end points)
    mazs atvēziens, palēciens ― small swing, jump
    maza amplitūda ― small amplitude
* (of natural phenomena) small, little, low (weak, having low intensity)
    mazs vējiņš ― small, little breeze
    maza migla ― low fog
* (of physical phenomena) small, short, low, weak (less in numerical value than (the average of) other measurements; less intense, faint)
    mazs ātrums, spriegums ― low speed, tension/voltage
    mazs garums ― short length
    mazs skaits ― small number
    mazs skaitlis ― low figure
    maza nauda ― (colloquial) small money sum (lit. little money)
    bet lai tu vairs neizlaistu pat vismazākās skaņas! ― but you won't let out even the smallest (= faintest) sound anymore!
* (of time periods; of texts) little, short
    pēc maza brīža ― after a short moment
    mazs dzejolis ― little, short poem
* small (with few members (people, animals, objects, elements))
    maza ģimene ― small family
    mazs ganāmpulks ― small herd
* little, low (less than the normal or average level, limit, degree)
    mazs piena izlaukums ― low milk yield
    maza barības vērtība ― little, low nutritional value
* little, small (with little influence or consequence; not worth much)
    mazas nepatikšanas ― little, small trouble
    saņemt mazas veltes ― to get small presents
* small, short (not requiring much effort or energy)
    mazs pasākums ― small undertaking, enterprise
    maza pastaiga ― short walk, stroll
    mazi svētki ― small, unimportant holidays
* small, little (indicating lack of freedom of action, constraints)
    mazas priekšrocības ― small advantage
    maza izvēle ― little choice
    man vairs nebija ne mazākās iespējas novākt slepenā darba pēdas ― I no longer had the slightest possibility of removing the traces of secret work
* (of mental or physical states) small (not intense, not intensely felt)
    mazas sāpes' ― small pain
    mazs nogurums ― small fatigue, tiredness
* (of people) small (selfish; having negative character traits)
    mazs nekauņa ― a little impudent, impertinent person
    mazs palaidnis ― a little rascal
    liels zinātnieks; tikai kā cilvēks diemžēl izrādījies mazs ― a great scientist; only as a person, unfortunately, he showed himself small
* (of people) small (lacking self-confidence, humble)
    jutos maza un niecīga viņu priekšā ― I (female) felt small and insignificant in front of them
* (of people) small (unimportant; not owning much property; poor)
    mazs muižnieks, namīpašnieks ― small landlord
* (of children) small, little, young (infant, not having reached maturity)
    mazs bērns ― small child
    Ilzi es jau pazinu kā mazu meitenīti ― Ilze I already knew as a little girl
    mazā kaut ko gaida ― the little one (= girl) is waiting for something
    mazais jāliek gulēt ― the little one (= boy) must be put to sleep
* small (not brilliant, not important, not significant)
    ir atzinumi lieli, mazi ― opinions there are big and small
    laiks aizšalc, aiznesdams izzūdībai visu mazo, niecīgo, nenozīmīgo ― time rustles (by), taking into non-existence all that is small, unimportant, insignificant

#### Synonyms

* neliels
* sīks

#### Antonyms

* liels
* milzīgs, gigantisks

#### Derived terms

* mazināt
* mazums
* mazulis

### References

* ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “mazs”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎ (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN