згра
Russian
Etymology
Attested in Donsk region. Perhaps, akin to dial. Bulgarian дзръ́цка (dzrǎ́cka, “spark”) from Proto-Slavic *stьgrъ, *stьdzrъ (“shining, glimmering”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to stick, to poke”).
If correct, then cognate with Proto-Iranian *tigráh (“sharp, pointy”), whence Avestan 𐬙𐬌𐬖𐬭𐬀 (tiγra, “sharp”), Old Persian 𐎫𐎥𐎼 (t-g-r /tigra/). Further akin to Sanskrit तेजस् (tejas, “light, splendor”) with semantic shift sharp edge → shining → light, splendor.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [zɡra]
Noun
згра • (zgra) f inan (genitive згры, nominative plural згры, genitive plural згр)
- (dialectal, obsolete) spark
- Synonym: искра (iskra)
Inflection
Declension of згра (inan fem-form hard-stem accent-b)
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | згра́ zgrá | згры́ zgrý |
| genitive | згры́ zgrý | згр zgr |
| dative | згре́ zgré | згра́м zgrám |
| accusative | згру́ zgrú | згры́ zgrý |
| instrumental | згро́й, згро́ю zgrój, zgróju | згра́ми zgrámi |
| prepositional | згре́ zgré | згра́х zgráx |
Related terms
- згинка (zginka, “sparkle”)
Further reading
- G. Magner (2003), “Этимология фразеологизма ни зги не видно”, in Этимологические исследования. Вып. 8
- Dal, Vladimir (1903), “згра?”, in Толковый Словарь живого великорусскаго языка [Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language] (in Russian), volume 1, 3rd edition, товарищество М. О. Вольфъ, page 1683