spânz
Romanian
Spânz
Alternative forms
- spînz, spânț, spînț
Etymology
From older spînz, from *spîndzu (compare Aromanian spingiu), from Latin spongia (“sponge”) (with a change in gender); metaphorically applied to horse diseases, as in Spanish espundia (“skin ulcer (in horses)”), Sardinian spòngia, ispunzòla (“wobbler syndrome”); ultimately from Ancient Greek σπογγιά (spongiá). Cf. also Albanian spëndër. Probably a doublet of spongie, a borrowing.
Noun
spânz m (plural spânzi)
- purple hellebore, Christmas rose (Helleborus purpurascens)
- horse disease with enlargement of the spleen