вурдалак

Russian

Etymology

Coined by Alexander Pushkin in 1836 in an eponymous poem; an alteration of волкола́к (volkolák) and вуркола́к (vurkolák).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [vʊrdɐˈɫak]

Noun

вурдала́к • (vurdalákm anim (genitive вурдала́ка, nominative plural вурдала́ки, genitive plural вурдала́ков)

  1. (mythology) vampire
    Synonyms: вампи́р (vampír), упы́рь (upýrʹ)
  2. (figuratively, derogatory) bloodsucker, sadist (a cruel person)
    Synonyms: и́зверг (ízverg), изуве́р (izuvér), упы́рь (upýrʹ)

Declension

References

  • Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), “вурдалак”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress