zelyonka
English
Alexei Navalny after a zelyonka attack in Moscow (2017)
Etymology
From Russian зелёнка (zeljónka, “zelyonka”).
Noun
zelyonka (uncountable)
- Brilliant green, especially when thrown on the body of a victim in Russian politically-motivated attacks.
- 2017 May 10, Oleg Kashin, “Russian Terrorism Now Comes in Green!”, in The New York Times:
- Technically, it’s known as a triarylmethane dye. In drugstores, it’s sold under the name Brilliant Green. But generations of Soviet citizens knew it as “zelyonka” (the green). […] After an application of zelyonka, a wound dries and forms a scab within a few hours.
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