kus

See also: Appendix:Variations of "kus"

Languages (20)

Translingual

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Afrikaans • Catawba • Czech • Dutch • Estonian • French • Ingrian • Karelian • Khalaj • Livonian • Maltese • Old High German • Old Saxon • Serbo-Croatian • Slovak • Tocharian A • Tok Pisin • Turkish • Veps

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Kusaal.

Symbol

kus

1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Kusaal.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Kusaal terms

Afrikaans

FWOTD – 27 January 2019

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kœs/

Etymology 1

From Dutch kust, from Middle Dutch cost, from Old French coste, from Latin costa (“rib, side”).

Noun

kus (plural kuste)

1. coast, shoreline, seashore
   • 1986, Die Noordweste. Die stoflike kultuuruitinge van die streek se bewoners, page 31:

     In 1862 word 'n pad vanaf die kopermyne na Hondeklipbaai aan die kus gebou.

     In 1862 a path from the copper mines to Hondeklip Bay at the coast is built.

2. coastal region

Derived terms

• kusbeskerming
• kusgebergte
• kusgebied
• kuslangs
• kusstad
• rotskus
• seekus

Etymology 2

From Dutch kussen, from Middle Dutch cussen, from Old Dutch kussen, from Proto-Germanic *kussijaną. Cognate with English kiss, German küssen, and Danish kysse.

Verb

kus (present kus, present participle kussende, past participle gekus)

1. to kiss
   • 2012, Pieter Aspe, Vierkant van die wraak, LAPA:

     Sy steek 'n hand na hom uit, en vir 'n oomblik oorweeg hy om dit galant te kus.

     She holds a hand in front of him, and for a moment he considers kissing it gallantly.

Usage notes

The use of kus as an alternative for soen is rarely used in speech but is more commonly found in literature, often being used poetically.

Synonyms

• soen

Etymology 3

From Dutch kus, from Middle Dutch kos, from Old Dutch *kos, from Proto-Germanic *kussaz. Cognate with English kiss, German Kuss, and Danish kys.

Noun

kus (plural kusse)

1. kiss
   • 1984, Eugène Nielen Marais, Versamelde werke, Leon Rousseau (ed.), Van Schaik (publ.), page 930.

     Sy vou haar armpies om die ou man se nek maar in plaas van haar geheimpie te hoor, bedek hy die gesiggie met kusse.

     She wraps her short arms around the old man's neck, but instead of listening to her secret he covers her little face with kisses.

Usage notes

As with the noun.

Synonyms

• soen

Catawba

Etymology

From the same root as kusa (“standing”), because the stalks stand upright.

Noun

kus

1. corn, maize

Usage notes

The initial consonant is sometimes voiced: gus.

Derived terms

• kus suk (“corncob”, literally “corn house”)
• kus sarak (“wheat”, literally “corn grass”)

References

• 1900, Albert S. Gatschet, Grammatic Sketch of the Catawba Language (published in the American Anthropologist)

Czech

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kǫsъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkus]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

kus m inan

1. piece (either "part" or as a counter word)

   Máte více kusů? ― Do you have more pieces? or Do you have more of these?

2. chunk

Declension

Declension of kus (hard masculine inanimate)

	singular	plural
nominative	kus	kusy
genitive	kusu	kusů
dative	kusu	kusům
accusative	kus	kusy
vocative	kuse	kusy
locative	kusu, kuse	kusech
instrumental	kusem	kusy

Related terms

adjective

• kousavý

nouns

• kousek
• kousíček
• kousínek
• kousnutí
• kouštíček
• kouštínek
• skus
• zákusek

verbs

• kousat
• kousnout
• překousnout
• rozkousnout
• skousnout
• ukousnout
• zakousnout

See also

• část f

Further reading

• “kus”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “kus”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “kus”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʏs/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: kus
• Rhymes: -ʏs

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch kos, kus, from Old Dutch *kos, *kus, from Proto-West Germanic *koss, from Proto-Germanic *kussaz.

The older Dutch forms with -u- are taken from the verb, those with -o- derive directly from the noun. Compare German Kuss, English kiss, Danish kys.

Noun

kus m (plural kussen, diminutive kusje n)

1. kiss
   1. kiss of peace (Christian greeting)
   2. socialist fraternal kiss

Alternative forms

• (dialectal) kos

Synonyms

• zoen

Derived terms

• afscheidskus
• wangkus

Descendants

• Afrikaans: kus
• Berbice Creole Dutch: kosi
• Negerhollands: kus

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

kus

1. inflection of kussen:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

Estonian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *ku.

Adverb

kus (not comparable)

1. (interrogative) where (in which place)
2. (relative) where (in which place)

See also

Estonian deictic adverbs

	proximal	distal	interrogative
motion towards	siia	sinna	kuhu
location inside	siin	seal	kus
motion from	siit	sealt	kust

French

Noun

kus m

1. plural of ku

Ingrian

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈkusːɑ/, [ˈkus̠ː]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈkus/, [ˈkuʒ̥]
• Rhymes: -usː, -us
• Hyphenation: kus
• Homophone: kussa

Pronoun

kus

1. inessive of kuka; where
   • 1936, N. A. Iljin and V. I. Junus, Bukvari iƶoroin șkouluja vart, Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 33:

     Kus ono suuret ikkunat, seel ono paljo luhtia, paljo valkeutta.

     Where there are big windows, there is a lot of air, a lot of brightness.

   • 1936, L. G. Terehova, V. G. Erdeli, translated by Mihailov and P. I. Maksimov, Geografia: oppikirja iƶoroin alkușkoulun kolmatta klaassaa vart (ensimäine osa) [Geography: textbook for Ingrian elementary school third grade (first part)], Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-Pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 3:

     Paljo uutta ja interesnoita töö saatta tiitä maast, kus möö elämmä.

     You will get to know a lot of new and interesting things about the earth, where we live.

See also

• mis

References

• V. I. Junus (1936), Iƶoran Keelen Grammatikka‎, Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 31

Karelian

Pronoun

kus

1. where

Khalaj

Perso-Arabic		کُس

Etymology

Borrowed from Persian کس (kos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kus/

Dialectal forms

• (Ahmadabad, Bon Chenar, Daghan, Feyzabad, Hasanabad, Hezarabad, Kacha-ye Chahardeh, Kardijan, Kharrab, Khvorakabad, Mazraeh-ye Now, Mohsenabad, Musaabad, Nowdeh, Qarah Su, Qorqor, Sadabad, Safarabad, Salafchegan, Sarahrud, Sarband, Sefid Ab, Sefidaleh, Seft, Shah Qoli, Sorkh Deh, Varnavaj, Varsan, Zarnusheh, Zizgan) IPA^(key): [kʊs]
• (Sefidaleh) IPA^(key): [kʊˑs]
• (Vasheqan) IPA^(key): [kʊsak] (diminutive form attested only)
• (Yengijeh) IPA^(key): [ku̞s]

Noun

kus (definite accusative kusı, plural kuslar)

1. vagina

   Synonyms: hâm, tılâq

Declension

Declension of kus

	singular	plural
nominative	kus	kuslar
genitive	kusııñ	kuslarııñ
dative	kusqa	kuslarqa
definite accusative	kusı	kusları
locative	kusça	kuslarça
ablative	kusda	kuslarda
instrumental	kusla	kuslarla
equative	kusvâra	kuslarvâra

References

• Doerfer, Gerhard (1980), Wörterbuch des Chaladsch (Dialekt von Charrab) [Khalaj dictionary] (in German), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó
• Doerfer, Gerhard (1987), Lexik und Sprachgeographie des Chaladsch [Lexicon and Language Geography of Khalaj] (in German), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, →ISBN

Livonian

Etymology

Inessive of Proto-Finnic *ku. Compare Estonian kus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkus/, [ˈkusː]

Adverb

kus

1. where

Conjunction

kus

1. where
2. let alone

References

• Tiit-Rein Viitso; Valts Ernštreits (2012–2013), “kus”, in Līvõkīel-ēstikīel-lețkīel sõnārōntõz [Livonian-Estonian-Latvian Dictionary]‎ (in Estonian and Latvian), Tartu, Rīga: Tartu Ülikool, Latviešu valodas aģentūra

Maltese

Root
k-w-s
4 terms

Etymology

From Arabic كُوز (kūz), from Middle Persian.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkuːs/
• Rhymes: -uːs

Noun

kus m (plural kwies or kusien, diminutive kwejjes)

1. jug, pitcher

   Synonym: buqar

Derived terms

• kewwes

Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *koss, see also Old Saxon kus, Old English coss, Old Norse koss.

Noun

kus m

1. kiss

Descendants

• Middle High German: kus, kos
  • Cimbrian: khüss (vowel influenced by verb)
  • German: Kuss
  • Hunsrik: Kuss
  • Luxembourgish: Kuss

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *koss. Compare Old English coss, Old Frisian koss, Old High German kus, Old Norse koss.

Noun

kus m

1. a kiss

Declension

kus (masculine a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	kus	kussos
accusative	kus	kussos
genitive	kusses	kussō
dative	kusse	kussum
instrumental	—	—

Related terms

• kussian

Descendants

• Middle Low German: kus, kuss
  • German Low German: Kuß
  • Plautdietsch: Kuss

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kǫsъ. First attested in the 15th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kûːs/

Noun

kȗs m inan (Cyrillic spelling ку̑с)

1. (rare) piece, part

   Synonyms: komad, parče, deo/dio

Declension

Declension of kus

	singular	plural
nominative	kȗs	kȕsovi
genitive	kusa	kusova
dative	kusu	kusovima
accusative	kus	kusove
vocative	kuse	kusovi
locative	kusu	kusovima
instrumental	kusom	kusovima

Further reading

• “kus”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

Adjective

kȗs (Cyrillic spelling ку̑с, definite kȗsī) (rare)

1. tailless
2. too short
3. incomplete

Declension

indefinite forms

singular		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		kus	kusa	kuso
genitive		kusa	kuse	kusa
dative		kusu	kusoj	kusu
accusative	inanimate animate	kus kusa	kusu	kuso
vocative		kus	kusa	kuso
locative		kusu	kusoj	kusu
instrumental		kusim	kusom	kusim
plural		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		kusi	kuse	kusa
genitive		kusih	kusih	kusih
dative		kusim(a)	kusim(a)	kusim(a)
accusative		kuse	kuse	kusa
vocative		kusi	kuse	kusa
locative		kusim(a)	kusim(a)	kusim(a)
instrumental		kusim(a)	kusim(a)	kusim(a)

definite forms

singular		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		kusi	kusa	kuso
genitive		kusog(a)	kuse	kusog(a)
dative		kusom(u/e)	kusoj	kusom(u/e)
accusative	inanimate animate	kusi kusog(a)	kusu	kuso
vocative		kusi	kusa	kuso
locative		kusom(e/u)	kusoj	kusom(e/u)
instrumental		kusim	kusom	kusim
plural		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		kusi	kuse	kusa
genitive		kusih	kusih	kusih
dative		kusim(a)	kusim(a)	kusim(a)
accusative		kuse	kuse	kusa
vocative		kusi	kuse	kusa
locative		kusim(a)	kusim(a)	kusim(a)
instrumental		kusim(a)	kusim(a)	kusim(a)

Further reading

• “kus”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

Slovak

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kǫsъ, cognate with Russian кус (kus) and кусок (kusok), Slovene kos, Serbo-Croatian кус, kus, Bulgarian къс (kǎs). Non-Slavic cognates include Sanskrit खादति (khādati, “he chews”), Persian خاییدن (xâyidan, “to chew”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kus]

Noun

kus m inan (relational adjective kusový, diminutive kúštik or kúsoček or kúštiček, augmentative kusisko)

1. piece

Declension

Declension of kus
(pattern dub)

	singular	plural
nominative	kus	kusy
genitive	kusa	kusov
dative	kusu	kusom
accusative	kus	kusy
locative	kuse	kusoch
instrumental	kusom	kusmi

Further reading

• “kus”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

Tocharian A

Etymology

From Proto-Tocharian *kuse, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷusó from *kʷos, *kʷís. Compare Tocharian B kᵤse.

Pronoun

kus (accusative kuc)

1. who, what (interrogative)

Related terms

• kusne (relative pronoun)

Tok Pisin

Noun

kus

1. cough, coughing
   • 2010, anonymous author, Kirap!‎:

     Na sampela i kisim pen long bodi, skin i skrap, tuhat, kus, les kwik, belhat, o bel hevi.

     They may also experience aching, itching, sweating, and coughing, as well as mood changes demonstrated by impatience, a proneness to anger, or even depression.

Verb

kus

1. to cough
   • 1998, anonymous author, Kirap!‎:

     Jem i kamap long win taim sikman i kus long maus o nus.

     The germ spreads in the air when a patient coughs through the mouth or nose.

Homophones

• Kus

Turkish

Verb

kus

1. second-person singular imperative of kusmak

Veps

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adverb

kus

1. where, in what place (interrogative)

Synonyms

• miš

Derived terms

• kus-ni
• kus-se
• koje-kus
• nikus

References

• Zajceva, N. G.; Mullonen, M. I. (2007), “где”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎, Petrozavodsk: Periodika