velky

Velky is the non-diacritic form of velký, an adjective used in Czech and Slovak to mean “large” or “great.” In ordinary language it serves as a descriptor for size or importance and also appears in compound expressions, place names, and personal names. When diacritics are omitted in writing or data processing, velký may appear as Velky.

Etymology and cognates

Velky derives from the Proto-Slavic root velkъ, meaning large or great. This root has cognates across Slavic languages, such as Russian velik- (as in velikiy) and related forms in other languages. In Czech, the adjective velký changes form by gender and case (for example velký, velká, velké). The corresponding noun form denoting size or extent is velikost, or in Slovak, veľkosť.

Usage and references

In Czech and Slovak toponymy, velký commonly appears in place names and descriptive phrases that distinguish a larger settlement from a nearby smaller one. As a surname, Velký occurs in Czech and Slovak contexts, typically indicating an ancestral descriptor related to size or prominence. Outside language contexts, Velky often appears in records, maps, or databases where diacritics are not used. The non-diacritic form can also function as a generic transliteration of the original diacritic-containing forms.

See also

Velký, the diacriticized variants used in Czech and Slovak; Veliky, a transliteration used in some Slavic languages to denote “great” or “large.”