vīrs

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *wī́ˀras, from Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós “man” < “strong one”, from the stem *wey- (“to go, move in a straight direction; to be strong”) (cf. Latin vis (“strength”)). Cognates include Lithuanian výras, Old Prussian wijrs, wirs, Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂 (wair), Old High German wer, Old Norse verr, Old Irish fer, Sanskrit वीर (vīrá), Avestan 𐬬𐬌𐬭𐬀‎ (vira), 𐬬𐬍𐬭𐬀‎ (vīra), Latin vir.[1]

• IPA^(key): [vīːɾs]

vīrs m (1st declension)

1. husband (a married man, in reference to his wife)

   vīrs un sieva ― husband and wife

   gādīgs vīrs ― a caring husband

   saticīgs vīrs ― a husband who is easy to live with

   dzērājs vīrs ― a drunkard husband

   vīra māsa ― husband's sister (= sister-in-law)

   vīra radi ― husband's relatives (= in-laws)

   ņemt vīru ― to take a husband

   iziet pie vīra ― to go to (= take) a husband

   tāds veikls un smuks puisis, un krietns... laimīga tā meita, kas viņu reiz dabūs par vīru ― such a neat and handsome guy, and honest... happy (is) the woman who will get him as a husband

2. man (male human being)

   pusmūža vīrs ― a middle-aged man

   stalts vīrs ― a stately man

   omulīgs vīrs ― a cheerful, jovial man

   lāga vīrs ― a good man, a good fellow

   spēka vīrs ― a man of strength (= strong man)

   goda vīrs ― a man of honor (= honorable man)

   īsts vīrs ― a real man

   vīru koris, vīriešu koris ― male, men's choir

3. (in combination with a word describing an occupation) a man who works, deals with something

   sardzes vīrs ― watch (lit. defense, protection) man

   darba vīrs ― workman, worker

   karavīrs ― soldier (lit. war-man)

   ugunsdzēsēju komandas vīri ― fire-brigade men (= firemen, firefighters)

The default term for “man” is vīrietis, which has restricted vīrs to the meaning of “husband,” but there are many expressions and situations in which vīrs can still be used to mean “man.”

• (of "husband"): dzīvesbiedrs
• (of "man"): vīrietis

• (of "husband"): sieva, dzīvesbiedre
• (of "man"): sieviete

• karavīrs
• meitasvīrs, meitas vīrs
• sniegavīrs, sniega vīrs
• ūdensvīrs
• vīrietis

From Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós. Other Baltic cognates include Lithuanian vyras, Old Prussian wijrs and Latvian vīrs.

• IPA^(key): [ʋiːɾs]

vīrs m (plural vīrā)

1. man

• muotrėška

• vīrėšks