# spalva
## Latvian
### Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *spalwā, from Proto-Indo-European *pel-, *spʰel- (“to split, cast off”) with a w extension. Alternatively, *spalu- may simply have been a u-stem noun, later transformed into an ā-stem noun: *spalu-ā- > *spalvā-. The original meaning was probably “that which was torn off, plucked, shorn.” Cognates include Lithuanian spalvà (“color”) (“color” meaning is a secondary development), Sudovian spiła.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [spālva]
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### Noun

spalva f (4th declension)
* feather (branching, hair-like structure that covers the skin of birds; a feather covering)
    pīlu, vistu, baložu spalvas ― duck, chicken, pigeon feathers
    raibas spalvas ― speckled feathers
    mest spalvas ― to change (lit. throw) feathers, to moult
    plūkt, plucināt spalvas ― to pluck feathers
    spalvu sega ― feather blanket, duvet
    spalvu mākoņi ― cirrus clouds (lit. feather clouds)
* fur, hair; a covering of hair (on mammals)
    zirgam gluda, spoža spalva ― the horse has smooth, shiny hair
    spalvām apaugušas rokas, kājas ― hands, feet covered, overgrown with hair
    mākslīga spalva ― artificial, synthetic fur
    liels suns, gludu spalvu, tumši brūns kā kastanis ― a big dog, (with) smooth fur, dark brown like a chestnut
    truši met spalvu, t. i., mati izkrīt un to vietā izaug jauni ― rabbits shed their fur, i.e., their hairs fall off and on the same place new ones grow
* quill, pen (especially to be used as a writing instrument)
    noasināta zoss spalva ― a sharpened goose quill
    rakstāmspalva ― writing pen, nib
    pildspalva ― writing pen
    rupja, smalka spalva ― coarse, fine pen
    iemērkt spalvu tintē, tušā ― to dip the pen in ink
    pirmais spalvas mēģinājums ― the first attempt at the pen (= at writing, by a new author)

#### Usage notes

In the “writing implement” sense, pildspalva is the usual term, spalva being usually reserved for special, or old-fashioned, pens (especially feather pens) or for metaphorical uses.

#### Synonyms

* (of "hair, fur"): mati

#### Derived terms

* pildspalva
* rakstāmspalva
* spalvains
* spalvu mākonis, spalvmākonis

### References

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

## Lithuanian

Picture dictionary :
spalva
raudonas
oranžinis
geltonas
žalias
mėlynas
violetinis
juodas
pilkas
baltas :

### Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *spalwā, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)p(h)el- (“to split, cast off”), with a w extension. Alternatively, *spalu- may simply have been a u-stem noun, later transformed into an ā-stem noun: *spalu-ā- > *spalvā-. The original meaning was probably “that which was torn off, plucked, shorn.” Cognates include Latvian spalva (“feather, fur”), Nareva Baltic spiła; the “color” meaning is a secondary development, from “feather, fur.”

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [spɐlˈvɐ]

### Noun

spalvà f (plural spal̃vos) stress pattern 4
* colour, color

#### Declension
## Samogitian
### Noun

spalva f (plural spalvas)
* color, colour