Definitions

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

  • noun The privileged set of people appointed by patronage to senior positions in the bureaucracy of the Soviet Union and some other Communist states.

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

  • noun The system of bureaucratic patronage in the former Soviet Union.
  • noun The lists of appointments in this system, and the people on such lists.
  • noun by extension The upper echelons of Soviet society.

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

  • noun the system of patronage in communist countries; controlled by committees in the Communist Party

Etymologies

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

[Russian, from Latin nōmenclātūra, list of names; see nomenclature.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Russian номенклатура (nomenklatúra), from Latin nomenclatura ("a calling by name, list of names"), from nomen ("name") + calare ("call")

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Examples

  • So I wrote Erin to get some clarification, and she explained that she had been talking about a nonliteral use of the word nomenklatura itself, "that is, one that referred to people that weren't Russians, but were metaphorically similar to the Russian nomenklatura."

    languagehat.com: NOMENKLATURA? 2005

  • When Russia, China and Vietnam liberalized, the nomenklatura were the first to move into “private” business and did very well enriching themselves and their families.

    Matthew Yglesias » Trouble in North Korea 2010

  • They represent the idea of nomenklatura, or bureaucratic capitalism.

    The Dangers Ahead 2008

  • Those who got the most out of the situation were the political opponents of Zhao Ziyang, who hoped to force him and his associates from power, as well as those members of the nomenklatura, that is, the Party gentry, who enjoyed all the privileges afforded by the monolithic state created under the conditions of the "proletarian dictatorship."

    'Tiananmen Follies': An Exchange Mirsky, Jonathan 2006

  • "But the economic interests of this 'nomenklatura' aren't compatible with the state's future prosperity."

    What on Earth Happened to the New York GOP? 2010

  • The idea of an elite and privileged '' nomenklatura '' to staff the civil service of the Soviet state originated with its founder, [[Vladimir Lenin]].

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] PaulBurnett 2010

  • At this time this is unlikely, because these two republics, particularly the former, are very tightly run by a "nomenklatura", which has survived Soviet times and has flourished ever since.

    openDemocracy Carlo Ungaro 2010

  • At this time this is unlikely, because these two republics, particularly the former, are very tightly run by a "nomenklatura", which has survived Soviet times and has flourished ever since.

    openDemocracy Carlo Ungaro 2010

  • In every communist system, the "nomenklatura," of which Clinton would certainly qualify as a member, will have access to special medical care, grocery stores, dachas, etc.

    Latest Articles http://blogs.dailymail.com 2010

  • The idea of an elite and privileged '' nomenklatura '' to staff the civil service of the Soviet state originated with its founder, [[Vladimir Lenin]].

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] PaulBurnett 2010

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