fa

English Online Dictionary. What means fa‎? What does fa mean?

Translingual

Symbol

fa

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

English

Alternative forms

• fah

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɑ/
• Rhymes: -ɑː

Etymology 1

From Glover's solmization, from Middle English fa (“fourth degree or note of Guido of Arezzo's hexachordal scales”), Italian fa in the solmization of Guido of Arezzo, from the first syllable of Latin famulī (“servants”) in the lyrics of the scale-ascending hymn Ut queant laxis by Paulus Deacon.

Noun

fa (plural fas)

1. (music) A syllable used in solfège to represent the fourth diatonic (or sixth chromatic) note of a major scale.

Derived terms

sol-fa

Translations

See also

Etymology 2

Preposition

fa

1. (informal) Alternative spelling of for.

Derived terms

See also

Anagrams

• AF, Af, af

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [ˈfa]
• Rhymes: -a

Etymology 1

Noun

fa m (plural fas)

1. (music) fa (fourth note of diatonic scale)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

fa

1. third-person singular present indicative of fer

Preposition

fa

1. ago

Interjection

fa

1. (dialectal) a particle used in some dialects to emphasize a negative sentence

Chichewa

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

-fa (infinitive kufá)

1. to die

Derived terms

• Verbal derivations:
  • Applicative: -fera
  • Causative: -fetsa
  • Negative: -safa

• Nominal derivations:
  • imfa (“death”)

Czech

Noun

fa

1. abbreviation of firma

Declension

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin fa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /faː/
• Hyphenation: fa
• Rhymes: -aː

Noun

fa m (plural fa's, diminutive faatje n)

1. (music) fa (fourth diatonic (or sixth chromatic) musical note)
2. (music) F (the musical clef or key)

Derived terms

• fasleutel

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa/

Noun

fa m (plural fa)

1. (music) fa, the fourth diatonic (or sixth chromatic) note 'F'

Derived terms

• clef de fa

Further reading

• “fa”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Galician

Noun

fa m (plural fas)

1. (music) fa (musical note)
2. (music) F (the musical note or key)

See also

Gothic

Romanization

fa

1. romanization of 𐍆𐌰

Hadza

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa/, [fʷa]

Verb

fa

1. to drink

Hungarian

Etymology

From Proto-Uralic *puwe. Cognates include Finnish puu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈfɒ]
• Rhymes: -fɒ

Noun

fa (countable and uncountable, plural fák)

1. tree (large woody plant)

   Meronyms: rügy, hajtás, vessző, gally, ág, törzs, gyökér, levél, lomb, korona, termés, gyümölcs

2. wood (substance beneath the bark of the trunk or branches of a tree)
3. (graph theory) tree (connected graph with no cycles)
4. (computing theory) tree (recursive data structure)
5. (attributive) wooden (made of wood)

Declension

Derived terms

References

Further reading

• (tree, wood): fa in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.
• (“fa”, a syllable used in solfège to represent the fourth note of a major scale; alternative form of fá): fa in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.
• fa in Nóra Ittzés, editor, A magyar nyelv nagyszótára [A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (Nszt.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published a–ez as of 2024).

Irish

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

• fá, ba, badh, budh

Particle

fa (triggers h-prothesis)

1. obsolete form of ba (“was”) (past affirmative and relative of is).

Related terms

Etymology 2

Preposition

fa (plus dative, triggers lenition)

1. obsolete form of faoi (“under”)
2. obsolete form of um (“about, concerning”)

Usage notes

In the meaning about it was followed by a noun in accusative.

Italian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfa/^*
• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: fà
• Unlike for the musical note below, this word always triggers syntactic gemination. Hence for example fa freddo (“it's cold”, literally “it makes cold”) is pronounced /ˈfa‿fˈfreddo/.

Verb

fa

1. third-person singular present indicative of fare

Adverb

fa

1. ago

   Synonym: prima

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfa/^°
• IPA^(key): (traditional) /ˈfa/^*
• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: fà
• Unlike for the verb form and derived adverb, this word (and other terms for musical notes) do not trigger syntactic gemination in modern usage, although they did traditionally. Hence fa sol la (“fa sol la”) is now pronounced /ˈfa ˈsɔl ˈla/, but traditionally /ˈfa‿sˈsɔl ˈla/.

Noun

fa m (invariable)

2. (music) fa (fourth diatonic (or sixth chromatic) musical note)
3. F (musical note or key)

Japanese

Romanization

fa

1. The katakana syllable ファ (fa) in Hepburn-like romanization.

Kabyle

Verb

fa (intensive aorist yettfay, aorist ifa, preterite ifa, negative preterite ifa)

1. to yawn

Lala (South Africa)

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

-fá

1. to die

Latvian

Noun

fa m (invariable)

1. (music) fa, the fourth diatonic (or sixth chromatic) note 'F'.

Luganda

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

-fa (intransitive)

1. to die
2. to be killed; be destroyed
3. to spoil; become useless
4. to get into trouble; be in a jam
5. to go sour (e.g. of milk)

References

• Snoxall, R. A. (1967) Luganda-English Dictionary - with an Introduction on the Tonal System, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 74
• Murphy, John D. (1972) Luganda-English Dictionary, United States: The Catholic University of America Press, →ISBN, page 72
• Entry 2089 at Bantu Lexical Reconstructions 3

Mandarin

Romanization

fa (fa⁵ / fa⁰, Zhuyin ˙ㄈㄚ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 𠲎

Romanization

fa

1. nonstandard spelling of fā
2. nonstandard spelling of fá
3. nonstandard spelling of fǎ
4. nonstandard spelling of fà

Usage notes

• Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Manx

Etymology

From Old Irish fáth, from Proto-Celtic *wātus (“inspired utterance”) (compare Welsh gwawd (“song, praise, poetry”)), from Proto-Indo-European *weh₂t-.

Noun

fa m (genitive singular [please provide], plural [please provide])

1. reason, cause

Synonyms

• oyr

Derived terms

• cre'n fa
• gyn fa gyn oyr

Mutation

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

fa

1. alternative form of fo

Etymology 2

Adjective

fa

1. alternative form of fo

Neapolitan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa/
• Rhymes: -a

Verb

fa

1. third-person singular present indicative of fà

Niuean

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *fa, from Proto-Oceanic *pat, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *pat, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *pat, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əpat, from Proto-Austronesian *Səpat.

Numeral

fa

1. four

Norman

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

Noun

fa m (plural fas)

1. (Jersey) suit (clothing)

Synonyms

• suit

Northern Ndebele

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

-fá

1. to die

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin famuli, from the first word of the fourth line of Ut queant laxis, the medieval hymn on which solfège was based because its lines started on each note of the scale successively. Through Italian.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɑː/

Noun

fa m (definite singular fa-en, indefinite plural fa-ar, definite plural fa-ane)

2. (music) fa, a syllable used in solfège to represent the fourth diatonic (or sixth chromatic) note of a major scale.

Coordinate terms

• (scale of solfège): do, re, mi, fa, sol or so, la, ti, do

References

• “fa” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Adjective

fā

1. alternative form of fāh

Old Frisian

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *fą̄han, from Proto-Germanic *fanhaną. Cognates include Old English fōn, Old Saxon fāhan and Old Dutch fān.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfaː/

Verb

fā

1. (transitive) to catch

Descendants

• Saterland Frisian: fange
• West Frisian: fange

References

• Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN

Old Irish

Alternative forms

• fá, ba, bá

Etymology

Apparently a derivative of some form of the copula is that is from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [βa]

Conjunction

fa (triggers lenition)

1. (in indirect interrogative clauses) or

For quotations using this term, see Citations:fa.

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 fa, ba, fo”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Thurneysen, Rudolf (1940) [1909] D. A. Binchy and Osborn Bergin, transl., A Grammar of Old Irish, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, translation of Handbuch des Alt-Irischen (in German), →ISBN, § 464, page 291; reprinted 2017

Old Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse fá, from Proto-Germanic *fanhaną.

Verb

fā

1. to seize, take
2. to get, receive

Conjugation

Descendants

• Swedish: få

Phuthi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

-fá

1. to die

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Scots

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa/

Pronoun

fa

1. Doric Scots form of wha (“who”)

Shona

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

-fá (infinitive kufá)

1. to die

Derived terms

• rufu

Sotho

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-páa.

Verb

fa

1. to give

South Marquesan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *fa, from Proto-Oceanic *pat, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *pat, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *pat, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əpat, from Proto-Austronesian *Səpat.

Numeral

fa

1. four

Southern Ndebele

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

-fá

1. to die

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfa/ [ˈfa]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: fa

Noun

fa m (plural fa)

1. fa (fourth diatonic (or sixth chromatic) musical note)

Derived terms

Interjection

fa

1. (Argentina) ew, phew (expression of disgust)

   Synonyms: puaj, guácala

Verb

fa

1. inflection of far:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative
   3. second-person singular voseo imperative

Further reading

• “fa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Sranan Tongo

Etymology 1

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

Adverb

fa

1. how

Derived terms

Conjunction

fa

1. as soon as

Etymology 2

Short for a phrase such as fa fu yu? or fa a e go?

Interjection

fa?

1. hi; how are you?; how's it going?

Swahili

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Pronunciation

Verb

-fa (infinitive kufa)

1. to die

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:fa

2. to stop, come to an end

Conjugation

Derived terms

• Verbal derivations:
  • Applicative: -fia
  • Causative: -fisha (“murder”)
  • Passive: -fiwa (“mourn, be bereaved”)

• Nominal derivations:
  • kifa (“death”)
  • mafa (“cemetery”)

Related terms

• -fu (“dead”)
• kifo (“death”)
• mfu (“dead person”)
• ufu (“death”)

See also

• -ua (“kill”)

Swazi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

-fá

1. (intransitive) to die

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Tarifit

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

Verb

fa (Tifinagh spelling ⴼⴰ)

1. (intransitive) to yawn

Conjugation

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Tsonga

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

fa

1. to die

Turkish

Etymology

From Italian fa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa/

Noun

fa (definite accusative fayı, plural falar)

2. (music) fa (fourth diatonic (or sixth chromatic) musical note)
3. F (musical note or key)

Tuvaluan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *fa, from Proto-Oceanic *pat, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *pat, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *pat, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əpat, from Proto-Austronesian *Səpat.

Numeral

fa

1. four

Venda

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Verb

fa

1. to die

Venetan

Noun

fa m (invariable)

1. (music) fa (fourth diatonic (or sixth chromatic) musical note)
2. F (musical note or key)

Adverb

fa

1. as, like

Volapük

Preposition

fa

1. by (indicating an agent)

West Makian

Conjunction

fa

1. or

   win edeng fa iunge ― two days or three

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[3], Pacific linguistics

Wuvulu-Aua

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *pat, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *pat, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *əpat, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əpat, from Proto-Austronesian *Səpat.

Numeral

fa

1. four

Xhosa

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [fá]

Verb

-fá

1. (intransitive) to die

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms

• umfi

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fà/

Verb

fà

1. (transitive, intransitive) to pull

   mo fa aṣọ ― I pulled the clothes

2. (transitive) to suck
3. (intransitive) to subside, to reduce

   eéwó t'ó wú ti fà ― The boil that was swollen has reduced

4. to draw, to sketch

   ó fa ìlà sórí ìwé ― He drew a line on the piece of paper

5. to become sluggish

   ọ̀lẹ́ fà tìì lẹ́nu iṣẹ́ ― The lazy person was sluggish at work

6. to be elastic, to be mucilaginous (as a soup or stew), to draw

   Synonym: yọ̀

   ọbẹ̀ ewédú náàá fà ― This ewedu soup is mucilaginous

7. (intransitive) to crawl

   bí ìgbín fà, ìkarahun á tẹ̀lé e ― When the snail crawls its shell shall follow it

8. (transitive) to cause, to bring about

   ìyà púpọ̀ ni ó fa ẹkún ― Too much suffering is the cause of weeping

9. (transitive) to long for

   ọkàn àwọn ọmọ́ fà mí ― I longed for those children

Usage notes

• fa before a direct object

Synonyms

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fá/

Verb

fá

1. (transitive) to scrape or wipe off

   alápatàá fá awọ náà ― The butcher wiped off the skin

2. (transitive) to shave

   mo fá irun abíyá ― I shaved my armpit hair

Derived terms

Zulu

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-kúa.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /fá/

Verb

-fá

1. (intransitive) to die

Inflection

Derived terms

References

• C. M. Doke, B. W. Vilakazi (1972) “fa”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “fa (imper. yifa, 6.3)”