ķirbis

Borrowed from German Kürbis, itself borrowed from Latin cucurbita (from an earlier *curbitia, via reduplication). This word is first mentioned in early 18th-century texts, but only in the 19th century did it become really popular and enter the standard literary language. Various expressions had previously been used to refer to this plant, usually comparing it to a cucumber or apple (“big cucumber”, “big apple”, “porridge apple,” “porridge cucumber,” etc.).^[1] The ending -s, which is part of the root in German, was reinterpreted as the Latvian Nom. Sg. ending -(i)s and is replaced accordingly in other grammatical cases.

• IPA^(key): [cīrbis]

• Audio:

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ķirbis m (2nd declension)

1. pumpkin, squash, gourd (plants; fam. Cucurbitaceae)

   paraistais ķirbis ― common pumpkin

   baltais ķirbis ― white gourd

   ziemas ķirbji ― winter squash

   ķirbju sēklas ― pumpkin seeds

   lielaugļu ķirbis ― big-fruited pumpkin, gourd

   krūmu ķirbis ― dwarf (lit. bush) gourd, calabash

2. pumpkin, squash, gourd (fruit of the corresponding plants)

   ķirbju zupa ― pumpkin soup

   ķirbju salāti ― pumpkin salad