Lemizh / English dictionary

kràb.

to make crabs (also the constellation Cancer; see appendix, Constellations)

Etymology

< NLem krobl‑a ‘castle, stronghold; crab’
< LMLem akròpoli‑yr ‘upper town, castle, stronghold’
< Koi ἀκρό‑πολι‑ς, compound of
  Koi ἄκρ‑ος ‘sharp, topmost’
< SHell *ákr‑os ‘sharp’, r-stem adjective of
< PIE *h₂ek̑‑ ‘be sharp’
 —and—
  Koi πόλι‑ς ‘city’
< SHell *tpóli‑s ‘fortification’
< PIE *tpólh₁i‑s

The NLem metaphorical use of the word for a stronghold to denote crabs comes from their defensive exoskeleton and pincers.

The literal use lives on in two words: kroblÌc. ‘Kroblizh, Shabar Castle, the castle of Lemaria’s capital’ with a singular poststem and kroblÌj. ‘[any] castle’, the corresponding plural from.

Cognates

Lat aceō ‘be sour’; Eng police (via Gk πόλις ‘city’)