cmavo

C3M3A1V4O1
/ˈʃmɑːvo/

noun

Function word(s), i.e., structural words.

“Cmavo are connective, syncategorematic words. They are roughly comparable to English conjunctions, prepositions, articles, numerals, and some adverbs.”

OriginLojban cmavo ← Arabic قَلِيل (kalil) ← Russian малый (mal) →
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Meanings

nouncmavo (plural cmavo)
  1. LojbangrammarFunction word(s), i.e., structural words.

    Cmavo are connective, syncategorematic words. They are roughly comparable to English conjunctions, prepositions, articles, numerals, and some adverbs.

Origin

  1. Mandarin小 (ciau)
  2. Englishsmall (smal)
  3. Hindiलघु (lagu)
  4. Russianмалый (mal)
  5. Arabicقَلِيل (kalil)
  6. Lojbancmalu
  7. Lojbanvalsi
  8. Lojbancmavo
  9. Englishcmavo

Borrowed from Lojban cmavo.

More words from Lojban

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

cmavo. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cmavo

MLA

“cmavo.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cmavo. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cmavo,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cmavo.

Source: cmavo on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.