волхв

Russian

Alternative forms

• волхвъ (volxv) — pre-1918 spelling

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Church Slavonic влъхвъ (vlŭxvŭ), from Old Church Slavonic влъснѫти (vlŭsnǫti, “to stutter”), referring to the trances the priests used in their ceremonies.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [voɫxf]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

волхв • (volxv) m anim (genitive волхва́, nominative plural волхвы́, genitive plural волхво́в)

1. magus, mage
2. (paganism) volkhv; high priest

Usage notes

In modern Rodnover or Slavic neopagan groups, "волхв" is a title for higher-ranking priests, above "жрец".

Declension

Declension of волхв (anim masc-form hard-stem accent-b) 

	singular	plural
nominative	во́лхв vólxv	волхвы́ volxvý
genitive	волхва́ volxvá	волхво́в volxvóv
dative	волхву́ volxvú	волхва́м volxvám
accusative	волхва́ volxvá	волхво́в volxvóv
instrumental	волхво́м volxvóm	волхва́ми volxvámi
prepositional	волхве́ volxvé	волхва́х volxváx

Related terms

• волше́бник (volšébnik)
• волше́бный (volšébnyj)
• волшебство́ (volšebstvó)

Descendants

• → English: volkhv
• → Finnish: velho
• → Polish: wołchw

See also

• видун (vidun), ведун (vedun) (intermediate-ranked priest in some neopagan Slavic groups)
• жрец (žrec) (pagan priest, Slavic pagan priest)
• колду́н (koldún)
• маг (mag)
• первосвященник (pervosvjaščennik) (high priest, other religions)
• фо́кусник (fókusnik)
• чароде́й (čarodéj)

Ukrainian

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Church Slavonic влъхвъ (vlŭxvŭ), from Old Church Slavonic влъснѫти (vlŭsnǫti, “to stutter”), referring to the trances the priests used in their ceremonies.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [wɔɫxʋ]

Noun

волхв • (volxv) m pers (genitive волхва́, nominative plural волхви́, genitive plural волхві́в)

1. (paganism) priest

   Synonym: жрець (žrecʹ)

2. magician, magus, mage, sorcerer

   Synonyms: чарівни́к (čarivnýk), чароді́й (čarodíj), маг (mah), ворожби́т (vorožbýt)

Declension

Declension of волхв
(pers hard masc-form accent-b)

	singular	plural
nominative	волхв volxv	волхви́ volxvý
genitive	волхва́ volxvá	волхві́в volxvív
dative	волхво́ві, волхву́ volxvóvi, volxvú	волхва́м volxvám
accusative	волхва́ volxvá	волхві́в volxvív
instrumental	волхво́м volxvóm	волхва́ми volxvámy
locative	волхво́ві, волхві́ volxvóvi, volxví	волхва́х volxváx
vocative	во́лхве vólxve	волхви́ volxvý

References

• Bilodid, I. K., editor (1970–1980), “волхв”, in Словник української мови: в 11 т. [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language: in 11 vols] (in Ukrainian), Kyiv: Naukova Dumka
• Shyrokov, V. A., editor (2010–2025), “волхв”, in Словник української мови: у 20 т. [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language: in 20 vols] (in Ukrainian), volumes 1–15 (а – п'ять), Kyiv: Naukova Dumka; Ukrainian Lingua-Information Fund, →ISBN
• A. Rysin, V. Starko, Yu. Marchenko, O. Telemko, et al. (compilers, 2007–2022), “волхв”, in Russian-Ukrainian Dictionaries
• A. Rysin, V. Starko, et al. (compilers, 2011–2020), “волхв”, in English–Ukrainian Dictionaries
• “волхв”, in Горох – Словозміна [Horox – Slovozmina, Horokh – Inflection]‎^[1]
• “волхв”, in Kyiv Dictionary (in English)
• “волхв”, in Словник.ua [Slovnyk.ua, Slovnyk.ua]‎^[2]