kozlík

Kozlík is a term used in Czech and Slovak contexts that can refer to several related things derived from the root kozl- meaning male goat, with the diminutive suffix -ík. In general usage, kozlík can denote something small or endearing associated with a goat and it also appears as a surname in Czechia and Slovakia (Kozlík, capitalized, for individuals and families).

In botany, kozlíklékařský is the Czech common name for Valeriana officinalis, known in English as valerian. The plant’s root is used in traditional herbal medicine for its sedative and anxiolytic effects. Active constituents include valepotriates and valerenic acids, and valerian preparations are employed for insomnia and anxiety in various traditional medicinal systems. As with many herbal remedies, valerian can interact with other sedatives and should be used with guidance.

As a linguistic and cultural term, kozlík can function as a diminutive or affectionate form, sometimes describing a small goat or goat-themed object, and it may appear in rural speech, folklore, or personal nicknames. The word also appears in compound forms and in names derived from the root kozlík, including family names and, less commonly, place names.

Overall, kozlík covers a range of related uses—linguistic, botanical, and onomastic—rooted in the same diminutive connection to the word for a goat.