Menshevik

or men·she·vik

[ men-shuh-vik; Russian myin-shi-vyeek ]

noun,plural Men·she·viks, Men·she·vik·i [men-shuh-vik-ee, -vee-kee; Russian myin-shi-vyi-kyee]. /ˈmɛn ʃəˌvɪk i, -ˌvi ki; Russian myɪn ʃɪ vyɪˈkyi/.
  1. a member of the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party in opposition to the Bolsheviks: advocated gradual development of full socialism through parliamentary government and cooperation with bourgeois parties; absorbed into the Communist party formed in 1918.

Origin of Menshevik

1
1905–10; <Russian menʾshevík, equivalent to ménʾsh() lesser (comparative of málenʾkiĭ small; compare menʾshinstvó minority) + -evik, variant of -ovik noun suffix

Other words from Menshevik

  • Men·she·vism [men-shuh-viz-uhm], /ˈmɛn ʃəˌvɪz əm/, noun
  • Men·she·vist, adjective

Words Nearby Menshevik

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use Menshevik in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Menshevik

Menshevik

Menshevist

/ (ˈmɛnʃɪvɪk) /


noun
  1. a member of the moderate wing of the Russian Social Democratic Party, advocating gradual reform to achieve socialism: Compare Bolshevik

Origin of Menshevik

1
C20: from Russian, literally: minority, from menshe less, from malo few

Derived forms of Menshevik

  • Menshevism, noun

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