Kirov

American

[keer-awf, -of, kyee-ruhf] / ˈkɪər ɔf, -ɒf, ˈkyi rəf /

noun

a city in the eastern part of the Russian Federation in Europe, north of Kazan.

Kirov ¹ British

/ ˈkirəf /

noun

Former name (1780–1934): Vyatka. a city in NW Russia, on the Vyatka River: an early trading centre; engineering industries. Pop: 454 000 (2005 est)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Kirov ² British

/ ˈkirəf /

noun

Sergei Mironovich (sɪrˈɡjej miˈrɔnəvitʃ). 1888–1934, Soviet politician; one of Stalin's chief aides. His assassination was the starting point for Stalin's purge of the Communist Party (1934–38)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For what that looks like, consider the case of Sergei Kirov.

From Salon • Sep. 28, 2025

In addition to Kirov, Viola is survived by sons Andrei and Blake.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 13, 2024

Irina Okisheva and her husband, Pavel Okishev, also traveled hundreds of miles to attend the concert — making their way from Kirov, northeast of Moscow.

From New York Times • Mar. 23, 2024

February 2017 — The Kirov court retries Navalny and upholds his five-year suspended sentence from 2013.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 16, 2024

Stalin got his emotional support from his colleague and best friend, Sergey Kirov, the swashbuckling head of the Communist Party in Leningrad.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023