-nik
English
Etymology
From the Slavic suffix represented by Russian -ник (-nik). This suffix experienced a surge in English coinages for nicknames and diminutives after the 1957 Soviet launch of the first Sputnik satellite. English usage is heavily influenced by Yiddish usage of ־ניק (-nik) and similar borrowed words (nogoodnik, nudnik, kibbutznik).
Suffix
-nik
- Creates a nickname for a person who exemplifies, endorses, or is associated with the thing or quality specified (by the base form), often a particular ideology or preference.
Derived terms
Further reading
- Kabakchi, V. V. with Doyle, Charles Clay (1990 Autumn) “Of Sputniks, Beatniks, and Nogoodniks”, in American Speech[1], volume 65, number 3, →JSTOR, pages 275-278
Anagrams
Estonian
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Compare Latvian -nieks and Russian -ник (-nik).
Suffix
-nik (genitive -niku, partitive -nikku)
- Forms occupational agent nouns. (non-productive)
Declension
Declension of -nik (ÕS type 25/õnnelik, length gradation) | |||
---|---|---|---|
singular | plural | ||
nominative | -nik | -nikud | |
accusative | nom. | ||
gen. | -niku | ||
genitive | -nike -nikkude | ||
partitive | -nikku | -nikke -nikkusid | |
illative | -nikku -nikusse |
-nikesse -nikkudesse | |
inessive | -nikus | -nikes -nikkudes | |
elative | -nikust | -nikest -nikkudest | |
allative | -nikule | -nikele -nikkudele | |
adessive | -nikul | -nikel -nikkudel | |
ablative | -nikult | -nikelt -nikkudelt | |
translative | -nikuks | -nikeks -nikkudeks | |
terminative | -nikuni | -nikeni -nikkudeni | |
essive | -nikuna | -nikena -nikkudena | |
abessive | -nikuta | -niketa -nikkudeta | |
comitative | -nikuga | -nikega -nikkudega |
Derived terms
Ojibwe
Suffix
-nik (plural -nikan)
- arm
- ingodonik — one arm; one armlength
- midaasonik — ten arms; ten armlengths
- jiiskinikebizon — bracelet; garter
- minikeyaab — armband; bracelet
- ninik — my arm
- gichinik — right hand
Related terms
Polish
Etymology
From Proto-Slavic *-nikъ.
Pronunciation
Suffix
-nik m
- Forms masculine nouns referring to a performer of some action, sometimes a device; -er
Declension
Personal nouns:
Impersonal nouns:
Derived terms
Related terms
- -nica f
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
From Proto-Slavic *-nikъ, *-ьnikъ, itself originally by nominalization of adjectives in *-ьnъ with the suffix *-ikъ (whence -ik). The suffix originates from the Proto-Balto-Slavic period; compare with dialectal Lithuanian lauk-inykas (“peasant, farmer”) (from laũkas (“field”)) and Old Prussian lauk-inikis (“vassal”).
Suffix
-nik (Cyrillic spelling -ник)
- Suffix appended to nominal stems to create a masculine noun, usually denoting a professional, performer, adherent, place, object, tool or a feature.
Derived terms
Related terms
References
- English terms derived from Slavic languages
- English terms derived from Yiddish
- English lemmas
- English suffixes
- Estonian lemmas
- Estonian suffixes
- Estonian noun-forming suffixes
- Estonian õnnelik-type nominals
- Ojibwe lemmas
- Ojibwe suffixes
- Polish terms inherited from Proto-Slavic
- Polish terms derived from Proto-Slavic
- Polish 1-syllable words
- Polish terms with IPA pronunciation
- Polish lemmas
- Polish suffixes
- Polish masculine suffixes
- Serbo-Croatian terms inherited from Proto-Slavic
- Serbo-Croatian terms derived from Proto-Slavic
- Serbo-Croatian terms derived from Proto-Balto-Slavic
- Serbo-Croatian lemmas
- Serbo-Croatian suffixes