Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A Russian peasant.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A Russian peasant. Also written mujik, moujik.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Alternative spelling of mujik.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a Russian peasant (especially prior to 1917)

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Russian, from muzh, man; see man- in Indo-European roots.]

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word muzhik.

Examples

  • A muzhik is a Russian peasant; the word occurs often in the stories of Isaac Babel, which Carver greatly admired.

    Raymond Carver Carol Sklenicka 2009

  • The muzhik is a very matter-of-fact practical person, totally incapable of understanding what

    Russia Donald Mackenzie Wallace 1880

  • Some found it strange that this muzhik from the Urals, this construction foreman, would be the one to bring democracy to Russia.

    The Return Daniel Treisman 2011

  • Some found it strange that this muzhik from the Urals, this construction foreman, would be the one to bring democracy to Russia.

    The Return Daniel Treisman 2011

  • Some found it strange that this muzhik from the Urals, this construction foreman, would be the one to bring democracy to Russia.

    The Return Daniel Treisman 2011

  • Some found it strange that this muzhik from the Urals, this construction foreman, would be the one to bring democracy to Russia.

    The Return Daniel Treisman 2011

  • Writers of this era [...] described the native as a robust youth with "gentile" characteristics, a kind of Jewish muzhik, or Russian peasant -- strapping, self-confident, and strong-spirited, as opposed to the stereotypical Diaspora Jew, who was pale, servile, and cowardly.

    David Shasha: What Israel Means to Me 2010

  • Writers of this era [...] described the native as a robust youth with "gentile" characteristics, a kind of Jewish muzhik, or Russian peasant -- strapping, self-confident, and strong-spirited, as opposed to the stereotypical Diaspora Jew, who was pale, servile, and cowardly.

    David Shasha: What Israel Means to Me 2010

  • - Vladi­mir Putin heralding Leonardo DiCaprio as a nastoyachshi muzhik for daring to fly on to the Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg this week after his first flight got turned back to NYC when an engine blew out and his second, on a private jet, had to land in Finland because of heavy winds.

    Quoted: Vladimir Putin on Leo DiCaprio, a total 'nastoyachshi muzhik' The Reliable Source 2010

  • Writers of this era [...] described the native as a robust youth with "gentile" characteristics, a kind of Jewish muzhik, or Russian peasant -- strapping, self-confident, and strong-spirited, as opposed to the stereotypical Diaspora Jew, who was pale, servile, and cowardly.

    David Shasha: What Israel Means to Me 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • "Even the exploited peasants of the ancien regime wrested substantial time back from their landlords' work. According to Lafargue, a fourth of the French peasants' calendar was devoted to Sundays and holidays, and Chayanov's figures from villages in Czarist Russia -- hardly a progressive society -- likewise show a fourth or fifth of peasants' days devoted to repose. Controlling for productivity, we are obviously far behind these backward societies. The exploited muzhiks would wonder why any of us are working at all. So should we. "

    - Bob Black, The Abolition of Work, 1985,

    October 24, 2011