pāksts

Latvian

Zirņu pāksts

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *pāš-, from the same stem as paksis (“corner junction”): Proto-Indo-European *paḱ- (“to link, to strengthen; joining, connection”). In Latvian, an original *pās- lead to *pāstis (with an extra suffix -t), from which pākstis with an epenthetic k. Semantic evolution: “joint, connection” > “elongated seed cover with two connecting edges” > “dry fruit that opens along lengthwise cracks.” An etymological connection with Russian пасть (pastʹ, “(animal) maw”) has been suggested.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pâːksts]

Noun

pāksts f (6th declension)

1. (botany) pod (a seed case for peas, beans, peppers, etc.)

   sojas, zirņu, piparu pāksts ― soybean, pea, pepper pod

   izlobīt pupas no pākstīm ― to shuck, shell beans from the pods

   vārīt pupas ar visām pākstīm ― to boil beans with (their) whole pods

Declension

Declension of pāksts (6th declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	pāksts	pākstis
accusative (akuzatīvs)	pāksti	pākstis
genitive (ģenitīvs)	pāksts	pākšu
dative (datīvs)	pākstij	pākstīm
instrumental (instrumentālis)	pāksti	pākstīm
locative (lokatīvs)	pākstī	pākstīs
vocative (vokatīvs)	pāksts	pākstis