ansa

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ansa"

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Latin ānsabor.

English ansa

Borrowed from Latin ānsa (“a handle, haft”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæn.sə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

ansa (plural ansae)

1. (astronomy) The most protruding part of planetary rings as seen from a distance, perceived to project like handles on either side of the disc of the planet.
2. (anatomy) A loop-shaped structure.

   Hyponyms: ansa cervicalis, ansa lenticularis

Derived terms

• ansa compound
• ansamycin
• ansate

Translations

most protruding part of planetary rings

• Irish: ansa m

Adjective

ansa (not comparable)

1. (organic chemistry) Being or relating to an ansa compound.

   ansa-metallocene

   ansa-bisindenyl ligand

   an ansa bridge which allows for easy access to the oxygen donor atoms on the aromatic ring

References

• “ansa”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “ansa”, in Merriam-Webster.com Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Anagrams

• N.A.S.A., Sana, Ṣan‘ā’, Saan, ANAs, Nasa, anas, San'a', AANs, Naas, NASA

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ānsa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈan.sə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈan.sa]

Noun

ansa f (plural anses)

1. handle

   Synonym: nansa

2. (anatomy) loop
3. (surgery) snare
4. small bay, inlet

Derived terms

• ansar
• ansat

Further reading

• “ansa”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

Finnish

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *ansa (compare Estonian aas), borrowed from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ansā (compare Old Prussian ansis (“hook, latch”), Latvian osa), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂emseh₂ (compare Latin ānsa (“handle”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑnsɑ/, [ˈɑ̝ns̠ɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑnsɑ
• Syllabification^(key): an‧sa
• Hyphenation^(key): an‧sa

Noun

ansa

1. trap
2. booby trap

Declension

Inflection of ansa (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		ansa	ansat
genitive		ansan	ansojen
partitive		ansaa	ansoja
illative		ansaan	ansoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		ansa	ansat
accusative	nom.	ansa	ansat
	gen.	ansan
genitive		ansan	ansojen ansain rare
partitive		ansaa	ansoja
inessive		ansassa	ansoissa
elative		ansasta	ansoista
illative		ansaan	ansoihin
adessive		ansalla	ansoilla
ablative		ansalta	ansoilta
allative		ansalle	ansoille
essive		ansana	ansoina
translative		ansaksi	ansoiksi
abessive		ansatta	ansoitta
instructive		—	ansoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of ansa (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative ansani ansani accusative nom. ansani ansani gen. ansani genitive ansani ansojeni ansaini rare partitive ansaani ansojani inessive ansassani ansoissani elative ansastani ansoistani illative ansaani ansoihini adessive ansallani ansoillani ablative ansaltani ansoiltani allative ansalleni ansoilleni essive ansanani ansoinani translative ansakseni ansoikseni abessive ansattani ansoittani instructive — — comitative — ansoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative ansasi ansasi accusative nom. ansasi ansasi gen. ansasi genitive ansasi ansojesi ansaisi rare partitive ansaasi ansojasi inessive ansassasi ansoissasi elative ansastasi ansoistasi illative ansaasi ansoihisi adessive ansallasi ansoillasi ablative ansaltasi ansoiltasi allative ansallesi ansoillesi essive ansanasi ansoinasi translative ansaksesi ansoiksesi abessive ansattasi ansoittasi instructive — — comitative — ansoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative ansamme ansamme accusative nom. ansamme ansamme gen. ansamme genitive ansamme ansojemme ansaimme rare partitive ansaamme ansojamme inessive ansassamme ansoissamme elative ansastamme ansoistamme illative ansaamme ansoihimme adessive ansallamme ansoillamme ablative ansaltamme ansoiltamme allative ansallemme ansoillemme essive ansanamme ansoinamme translative ansaksemme ansoiksemme abessive ansattamme ansoittamme instructive — — comitative — ansoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative ansanne ansanne accusative nom. ansanne ansanne gen. ansanne genitive ansanne ansojenne ansainne rare partitive ansaanne ansojanne inessive ansassanne ansoissanne elative ansastanne ansoistanne illative ansaanne ansoihinne adessive ansallanne ansoillanne ablative ansaltanne ansoiltanne allative ansallenne ansoillenne essive ansananne ansoinanne translative ansaksenne ansoiksenne abessive ansattanne ansoittanne instructive — — comitative — ansoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative ansansa ansansa accusative nom. ansansa ansansa gen. ansansa genitive ansansa ansojensa ansainsa rare partitive ansaansa ansojaan ansojansa inessive ansassaan ansassansa ansoissaan ansoissansa elative ansastaan ansastansa ansoistaan ansoistansa illative ansaansa ansoihinsa adessive ansallaan ansallansa ansoillaan ansoillansa ablative ansaltaan ansaltansa ansoiltaan ansoiltansa allative ansalleen ansallensa ansoilleen ansoillensa essive ansanaan ansanansa ansoinaan ansoinansa translative ansakseen ansaksensa ansoikseen ansoiksensa abessive ansattaan ansattansa ansoittaan ansoittansa instructive — — comitative — ansoineen ansoinensa

Hyponyms

• käpälälauta
• loukku
• pinne

Derived terms

• Ansa
• ansastaa
• Ansio
• ansio
• ansoittaa

compounds

• ansajuoni
• ansakuoppa
• ansalanka
• Ansamaa
• ansapolku
• ansaraitti
• ansarauta
• ansatie
• lintuansa
• paitsioansa
• tilausansa

Further reading

• “ansa”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

Anagrams

• saan, sana

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑ̃.sa/

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

Verb

ansa

1. third-person singular past historic of anser

Anagrams

• sana

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology

From Portuguese asa. Cognate with Kabuverdianu aza.

Noun

ansa

1. wing

Iban

Etymology

From Malay angsa.

Noun

ansa

1. goose (a grazing waterfowl of the family Anatidae)

Icelandic

Alternative forms

• anza (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old Norse anza.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈansa/
• Rhymes: -ansa

Verb

ansa (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative ansaði, supine ansað)

1. to answer, to reply

   Synonym: svara

2. to pay heed to

   Synonyms: gegna, sinna

Conjugation

ansa – active voice (germynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að ansa
supine sagnbót		ansað
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		ansandi
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	ansa	ansaði		ansi	ansaði
	þú	ansar	ansaðir		ansir	ansaðir
	hann, hún, það	ansar	ansaði		ansi	ansaði
plural	við	önsum	önsuðum		önsum	önsuðum
	þið	ansið	önsuðuð		ansið	önsuðuð
	þeir, þær, þau	ansa	önsuðu		ansi	önsuðu
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	ansa (þú), ansaðu
plural	þið	ansið (þið), ansiði1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

Derived terms

• ans

Ingrian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *ansa. Cognates include Finnish ansa and Estonian aas.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈɑnsɑ/, [ˈɑns̠]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈɑnsɑ/, [ˈɑnʒ̥ɑ]
• Rhymes: -ɑns, -ɑnsɑ
• Hyphenation: an‧sa

Noun

ansa

1. trap for catching grouse

Declension

Declension of ansa (type 3/kana, no gradation)
	singular	plural
nominative	ansa	ansat
genitive	ansan	ansoin
partitive	ansaa	ansoja
illative	ansaa	ansoi
inessive	ansaas	ansois
elative	ansast	ansoist
allative	ansalle	ansoille
adessive	ansaal	ansoil
ablative	ansalt	ansoilt
translative	ansaks	ansoiks
essive	ansanna, ansaan	ansoinna, ansoin
exessive1)	ansant	ansoint
1) obsolete *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl) **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive.

Derived terms

• ansoitella

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971), Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 16

Irish

Etymology 1

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

Adjective

ansa

1. dearest, most beloved

Etymology 2

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

Adjective

ansa

1. (literary) difficult

Etymology 3

From Latin ansa (“handle”).

Noun

ansa m (genitive singular ansa, nominative plural ansaí)

1. (astronomy) ansa

Declension

Declension of ansa (fourth declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative ansa ansaí vocative a ansa a ansaí genitive ansa ansaí dative ansa ansaí forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an t-ansa na hansaí genitive an ansa na n-ansaí dative leis an ansa don ansa leis na hansaí

Mutation

Mutated forms of ansa

radical	eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
ansa	n-ansa	hansa	t-ansa

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “ansa”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “ansa”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “ansa”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2026

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈan.sa/
• Rhymes: -ansa
• Hyphenation: àn‧sa

Etymology 1

Probably from Proto-Germanic *ansijō (“loop, handle”) mixed with *asa, inherited from Latin ānsa (“handle”), perhaps also formally influenced by the Latin in the literary language. Cf. German Öse (“eyelet”), Romansh ansa, onsa (“eyelet”); contrast the inherited Sardinian asa (“handle”), Lombard asa (“handle”) and aseta (“loop”), Verona Venetan asa (“soffit”), Abruzzo Neapolitan asa (“door hinge”), Calabria Sicilian asa (“handle”), Portuguese asa (“wing; handle”), Galician asa (“handle”), Spanish asa (“handle”).

Noun

ansa f (plural anse)

1. handle

   Synonyms: manico, maniglia, presa

2. (rare) excuse, pretext

   Synonyms: appiglio, pretesto, scusa

3. (geography) curve or bend (in a river)

   Synonyms: curva, meandro

4. (geography) a small bight, bay, cove

   Synonym: insenatura

5. loop, coil
6. as name of various chirurgical or laboratory instruments

Etymology 2

Verb

ansa

1. inflection of ansare:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• ansa in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
• Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1911), “ansa”, in Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German)

Anagrams

• ANAS, sana

Latin

Alternative forms

• āsa (Late Latin, proscribed)

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *h₂emseh₂ (“handle”), from *h₂em- (“to grasp”). Compare Lithuanian ąsa (“jug handle”), Proto-Germanic *ansijō (“handle, loop, eyelet”), Ancient Greek ἡνία (hēnía, “rein, bridle”). See also amplus (“ample”), ampla (“handle”), which the word was traditionally linked to, but which are not considered cognate anymore based on modern analysis.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈãː.sa]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈan.sa]

Noun

ānsa f (genitive ānsae); first declension

1. handle
2. tiller (handle of the rudder)

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	ānsa	ānsae
genitive	ānsae	ānsārum
dative	ānsae	ānsīs
accusative	ānsam	ānsās
ablative	ānsā	ānsīs
vocative	ānsa	ānsae

Derived terms

• ansātus

Descendants

• Direct reflexes:
  • Galician: asa
  • Portuguese: asa
    • → Galician: aza
  • Spanish: asa
• Derived forms:
  • ⇒ Catalan: nansa
  • ⇒ Italian: ansa
• Borrowings:
  • → French: anse

Further reading

• “ansa”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ansa”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• "ansa", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “ansa”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎^[4], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to give occasion for blame; to challenge criticism: ansas dare ad reprehendum, reprehensionis
    
  • to contain, afford matter for criticism: ansam habere reprehensionis
    
• “ansa”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Sihler, Andrew L. (1995), New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN
• Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), Bern, München: Francke Verlag

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• anse (e infinitive)

Etymology

From Old Norse ansa, anza.

Verb

ansa (present tense ansar, past tense ansa, past participle ansa, passive infinitive ansast, present participle ansande, imperative ansa/ans)

1. notice, pay attention to

   Eg ansa deg ikkje.

   I didn't notice you.

Synonyms

• (notice): ensa, ense

References

• “anse” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Latin ānsalbor.

Polish ansa

Learned borrowing from Latin ānsa. First attested in 1556–1557.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈan.sa/

• (Middle Polish) IPA^(key): /ˈan.sa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ansa
• Syllabification: an‧sa

Noun

ansa f

1. (literary) resentment, animosity, ill will [with do (+ genitive) ‘to/for whom/what’]

   Synonyms: niechęć, pretensja, uraza

2. (obsolete, originally) reason, cause; rashness

   Synonyms: powód, przyczyna

Declension

Declension of ansa

	singular	plural
nominative	ansa	anse/ansy
genitive	ansy	ans
dative	ansie	ansom
accusative	ansę	anse/ansy
instrumental	ansą	ansami
locative	ansie	ansach
vocative	anso	anse/ansy

Further reading

• “ansa”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[5] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “ansa”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[6] (in Polish)
• Krystyna Siekierska (02.07.2012), “ANSA”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century]
• Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814), “ansa”, in Słownik języka polskiego
• Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861), “ansa”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861
• J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1900), “ansa”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 1, Warsaw, page 40

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ānsa (“handle”). Doublet of asa.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈɐ̃.sɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈɐ̃.sɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈɐ̃.sa/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈɐ̃.sɐ/

• Hyphenation: an‧sa

Noun

ansa f (plural ansas)

1. (anatomy) ansa (loop-shaped structure)

Further reading

• “ansa”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “ansa”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈansa/ [ˈãn.sa]
• Rhymes: -ansa
• Syllabification: an‧sa

Noun

ansa f (plural ansas)

1. (Aragon) alternative form of asa

Further reading

• “ansa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Verb

ansa (present ansar, preterite ansade, supine ansat, imperative ansa)

1. to trim, to prune

   ansa skägget

   trim one's beard

Conjugation

Conjugation of ansa (weak)

	active		passive
infinitive	ansa		ansas
supine	ansat		ansats
imperative	ansa		—
imper. plural1	ansen		—
	present	past	present	past
indicative	ansar	ansade	ansas	ansades
ind. plural1	ansa	ansade	ansas	ansades
subjunctive2	anse	ansade	anses	ansades
present participle		ansande
past participle		ansad

¹ Archaic. ² Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

References

• “ansa”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “ansa”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “ansa”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)

Anagrams

• anas, nasa

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English answer.

Noun

ansa

1. answer

   Synonym: bekim

References

• Volker, C. A. (general editor), et al. (2008), Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin English Dictionary, Oxford University Press in association with Wantok Niuspepa, →ISBN, page 3

Ye'kwana

Variant orthographies

ALIV	ansa
Brazilian standard	ansa
New Tribes	ansa

Etymology

Compare Kari'na anàsa (“throat”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ansa]

Noun

ansa (possessed ansai)

1. necklace

Derived terms

• wo'mo ansai

References

• Hall, Katherine Lee (1988), The morphosyntax of discourse in De'kwana Carib, volumes I and II, Saint Louis, Missouri: PhD Thesis, Washington University, page 290