Muzhik

Muzhik

Muzhik or mujik (Russian мужик) refers to a Russian peasant, usually from pre-1917 Imperial Russia. The term connotes a certain degree of poverty, as most muzhiks were serfs before the 1861 agricultural reforms. After that date, serfs were given parcels of land to work and became free peasants. In Russian, the word has some other connotations; its role in modern conversational (informal) Russian plays a similar role to the English-language words "guy", "dude" and "bloke".

The word was introduced in Western languages by its wide use in literature, mainly by Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky.

References


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  • muzhik — [mo͞o zhēk′, mo͞o′zhik΄] n. [Russ, dim. of muž, MAN] in czarist Russia, a peasant …   English World dictionary

  • muzhik — /mooh zhik , mooh zhik/, n. a Russian peasant. Also, moujik, mujik, muzjik. [1560 70; < Russ muzhík, equiv. to muzh husband, man (OCS mozi, akin to MAN1) + ik dim. suffix] * * * …   Universalium

  • muzhik —    (moo ZHEEK) [Russian: man; husband] In czarist Russia, a peasant. More recently, a colloquial term for “a man’s man.” Also written moujik, muzjhik.    Mr. Stepashin is a former fireman with no known interests outside work and a reputation as a …   Dictionary of foreign words and phrases

  • muzhik — mu•zhik or mu•zjik [[t]muˈʒɪk, ˈmu ʒɪk[/t]] n. a Russian peasant • Etymology: 1560–70; < Russ muzhík, der. of muzh husband, man …   From formal English to slang

  • muzhik — n. (also moujik) hist. a Russian peasant. Etymology: Russ. muzhik …   Useful english dictionary

  • muzhik — also moujik or mujik noun Etymology: Russian Date: 1568 a Russian peasant …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • muzhik — mu·zhik || muː ʒɪk / muːʒɪk n. moujik, Russian peasant …   English contemporary dictionary

  • muzhik — [mu: ʒɪk, mu:ʒɪk] (also moujik) noun historical a Russian peasant. Origin Russ …   English new terms dictionary

  • muzhik — mu·zhik …   English syllables

  • muzhik — A Russian peasant …   Grandiloquent dictionary

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