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/.

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

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

Related formsMen·she·vism

[men-shuh-viz-uh m] /ˈmɛn ʃəˌvɪz əm/, nounMen·she·vist, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for menshevik

Historical Examples of menshevik

In Russia "Bolshevik" means majority, and "Menshevik" minority.
Bolshevism: A Curse & Danger to the Workers
Henry William Lee
Are we depriving ourselves of Cadet and Menshevik criticisms of the corruption of the working class?
Dictatorship vs. Democracy
Leon Trotsky
One of the Menshevik orators attempted incidentally to represent me as a defender of militarism in general.
Dictatorship vs. Democracy
Leon Trotsky

British Dictionary definitions for menshevik

Menshevik

Menshevist

noun

a member of the moderate wing of the Russian Social Democratic Party, advocating gradual reform to achieve socialismCompare Bolshevik

Derived FormsMenshevism, noun

Word Origin for Menshevik

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

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

Word Origin and History for menshevik

Menshevik

adj.

1907, from Russian men'shevik, from men'she "lesser" (comparative of malo "little," from PIE root *mei- "small;" see minus) + -evik "one that is." So called by Lenin because they were a minority in the party. Earlier used in reference to the minority faction of the Social-Democratic Party, when it split in 1903. As a noun from 1917. Russian plural mensheviki occasionally was used in English.