ozols

From Proto-Baltic *anžōl-, *anžōn- (later o-stem *anzuol-as), from Proto-Indo-European *anǵōl-, *anǵōn-. The origin of the latter stem is disputed.

• Some derive it from *gʷel- (“acorn”);
• others compare it to Proto-Slavic *ǫzlъ (“knot”) (cf. Russian узел (uzel)), suggesting that the original meaning of ozols was "knotty, knobby, knobbly";
• others see a connection with an earlier adjective *anžola- (“knobby, tuberous”), from *anža (“knob, tuber”) (earlier "narrow, compressed");
• others yet derive it from Proto-Indo-European *angʷ(h)i- (“snake”), parallel form *anǵ- — assuming that it originally had the meaning of 'pierce, hollow' —, apparently because old oaks often have holes or hollow parts (cf. the parallel case of Russian дуб (dub), Old Church Slavonic дѫбъ (dǫbŭ) "oak", cognate with Latvian dobums "hollow, cavity").

Cognates include Lithuanian ą́žuolas, Old Prussian ansonis ([anzōnis]).[1]

• IPA^(key): [uôzuols]

ozols m (1st declension)

1. oak tree (genus Quercus)

   ozolu birzs ― oak grove

   korķa ozols, korķozols ― cork oak

   vīrs kā ozols ― a man like an oak tree (= very strong)

2. oak wood

   ozola galds, skapis, krēsls ― an oaken table, cupboard, chair

• ozolu mūķene

• zīle