хала

/[ˈxaɫɐ]/

Bulgariannoun

Definitions

1.
tempest, typhon (mythological creature or phantasm that brings hails, blizzards, thunderstorms, and/or whirlwinds; believed to reside within stormclouds or in thick fogs)
- → (figurative) great calamity, fury, natural force (as phenomenon)
- → ichthyoid or serpentine monster (as a physical being)
- → hex, witch who controls the weather (as a personification)
2.
female equivalent of хал (hal): ferocious, feral person or animal
- ха́ла-кон
  hála-kon — ferocious horse/stallion
3.
colloquialderogatoryfemale equivalent of хал (hal): gourmand, glutton, unsatiable person
4.
obsoletelarge covered marketplace

Synonyms & related words

Word family

ха́лище
хале́тина

Synonyms

бу́ря
спри́я
фури́я
ла́комник
ненаси́тник

Related words (1)

мо́чер

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *xala, possibly contamination of various sources. Some aspects of the creature could be from Ancient Greek χάλαζα (khálaza, “hail”) (per Georgieva), while others from native roots related to ха́лост (hálost, “futility, lack of structure”), наха́лен (nahálen, “impertinent, intrusive”). In Western dialects, the word is homophonous with the dialectal word for serpent (cf. Serbo-Croatian а̏ла, Macedonian ала (ala)), of Turkish origin. Mythological depictions combine elements from Slavic (see Coordinate terms) and Paleo-Balkan mythology (cf. Ancient Greek Τυφῶν (Tuphôn), Ἄνεμοι (Ánemoi); Thracian Chaos-dragon; Albanian Kulshedra).