zek
English
Etymology
From Russian зэ́к (zɛ́k), probably representing a pronunciation of з/к (z/k), Soviet abbreviation of заключённый каналоармеец (zaključónnyj kanaloarmejec, “prisoner member of the [White Sea–Baltic] Canal army”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /zɛk/
- Rhymes: -ɛk
Noun
zek (plural zeks)
- A prisoner at a Russian prison, especially (historical) at a Soviet labour camp. [from 20th c.]
- 1988, Stefani Hoffman, translating Natan Sharansky, Fear No Evil, p. 235:
- Every prisoner who recants is a potential influence on other zeks to do likewise.
- 2004, Jason Burke, The Observer, 8 Feb 2004:
- There are the zeks, the survivors of the gulags, some honest about their experiences, others still deluded or traumatised decades later.
- 1988, Stefani Hoffman, translating Natan Sharansky, Fear No Evil, p. 235:
Anagrams
- Kez
Basque
Noun
zek
- ergative indefinite of ze
Breton
Numeral
zek
- Soft mutation of dek.
Wutunhua
Noun
zek
- alcohol
References
- Erika Sandman (2016) A Grammar of Wutun, University of Helsinki (PhD), →ISBN