-nik
one who is or has to do with (the thing specified): beatnik, refusenik
Origin of -nik
from Yiddish or Russ: equivalent to -er-nik
suffix
One associated with or characterized by: beatnik; peacenik.
Origin of -nik
YiddishRussian (Yiddish) ( from Russian) of Slavic originnik
Suffix
- Appended to words to create a nickname for a person who exemplifies, endorses, or is associated with the thing or quality specified (by the base form), often a particular ideology or preference.
Origin
From the Slavic suffix (Russian: -ник (-nik)). This suffix experienced a surge in English coinages for nicknames and diminutives after the 1957 Soviet launch of the first Sputnik satellite. English usage is heavily influenced by Yiddish usage of -nik and similar borrowed words (nogoodnik, nudnik, kibbutznik).
