кутър
Bulgarian
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kutrъ, cognate with Macedonian кутре (kutre, “puppy”), of unclear further origin. Proposed hypotheses include:
- Of onomatopoeic origin, related to the call кут-кут (kut-kut) (for calling up canines or birds), initially referring specifically to puppies or cubs and later generalized to convey smallness. Compare Russian кутёнок (kutjónok, “cub”);
- Derived from the root of dialectal ку́я (kúja, “to hew, to forge”) (with obsolete suffix *-trъ);
- Akin to Iranian terms, among which Persian کوچک (kučak, “small, young”).
Specifically for the figurative meaning “pitiful”, BER also considers possible borrowing from Ancient Greek κούτρα (koútra, “nob”), probably of onomatopoeic origin (cf. κουτός (koutós, “stupid”)).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈkutɐr]
Adjective
ку́тър • (kútǎr) (adverb ку́тро, abstract noun ку́трост) (dialectal)
Declension
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | ||
| indefinite | ку́тър kútǎr |
ку́тра kútra |
ку́тро kútro |
ку́три kútri |
| definite (subject form) |
ку́трият kútrijat |
ку́трата kútrata |
ку́трото kútroto |
ку́трите kútrite |
| definite (object form) |
ку́трия kútrija | |||
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | ||
| indefinite | по́-ку́тър pó-kútǎr |
по́-ку́тра pó-kútra |
по́-ку́тро pó-kútro |
по́-ку́три pó-kútri |
| definite (subject form) |
по́-ку́трият pó-kútrijat |
по́-ку́трата pó-kútrata |
по́-ку́трото pó-kútroto |
по́-ку́трите pó-kútrite |
| definite (object form) |
по́-ку́трия pó-kútrija | |||
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | ||
| indefinite | на́й-ку́тър náj-kútǎr |
на́й-ку́тра náj-kútra |
на́й-ку́тро náj-kútro |
на́й-ку́три náj-kútri |
| definite (subject form) |
на́й-ку́трият náj-kútrijat |
на́й-ку́трата náj-kútrata |
на́й-ку́трото náj-kútroto |
на́й-ку́трите náj-kútrite |
| definite (object form) |
на́й-ку́трия náj-kútrija | |||
Derived terms
- кутре́ (kutré, “puppy; pinky finger”)
- кутре́ц (kutréc, “puppy, cub”) (dialectal)
Related terms
- ку́там (kútam), ку́твам (kútvam, “to jostle, to strike”) (dialectal, possibly related, if grammatical in origin)
References
- “кутри”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
- Nayden Gerov (1897) “ку́търъ, -тра, -тро”, in Рѣчникъ на Блъгарскꙑй язꙑкъ. Съ тлъкувание рѣчи-тꙑ на Блъгарскꙑ и на Русскꙑ. [Dictionary of the Bulgarian language][1] (in Bulgarian), volume 2, Plovdiv: Дружествена печꙗтница "Съгласие.", page 436
- Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1986), “кутър¹”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 3 (крес¹ – мѝнго¹), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, page 162