Etymology 1

From Proto-Finnic *keeli (compare Estonian keel, Karelian kieli), from Proto-Uralic *käle (compare Northern Sami giella, Erzya кель (keľ), Moksha кяль (käľ), Udmurt кыл (kyl), Eastern Khanty кӧԓ (köł), Nganasan сиәде (siədje)).

Pronunciation

• IPA(key): /ˈkie̯li/, [ˈk̟ie̞̯li]
• Rhymes: -ieli
• Syllabification(key): kie‧li
• Hyphenation(key): kie‧li

Noun

kieli

1. tongue (organ)
2. (by extension) tang, tongue, projecting part
3. (music) string (tightly tensioned wire that produces a tone)
4. (music) reed (vibrating part in the mouthpiece of a woodwind instrument)
5. clapper, clanger, tongue (in a bell)
6. pointer, needle (on a balance scale)
7. tongue (in a shoe)
   Synonym: iltti
8. prong of a buckle
   Synonyms: neula, paljin
9. language (form of communication)
10. language, tongue (particular form of oral or spoken communication used by a community)
11. language, tongue (manner of expression; particular words or structures used in a speech or a passage of text)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA(key): /ˈkie̯li/, [ˈk̟ie̞̯li] (third-person indicative)
• IPA(key): /ˈkie̯liˣ/, [ˈk̟ie̞̯li(ʔ)] (imperative, indicative connegative)
• Rhymes: -ieli
• Syllabification(key): kie‧li
• Hyphenation(key): kie‧li

Verb

kieli

1. inflection of kieliä (see below):
2. third-person singular past indicative
3. present active indicative connegative
4. second-person singular present imperative
5. second-person singular present active imperative connegative

kieliä

1. (intransitive) to inform, snitch, gossip about [with elative]
2. (intransitive, figuratively) to indicate, suggest [with elative]

lähde kieli lähde kieliä