Menshevik

M3E1N1S1H4E1V4I1K5
/ˈmɛnʃəvɪk/

noun

A member of the gradualist or moderate wing of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party during the years preceding the Russian Revolution, when they split with the Bolsheviks; or a member of a later independent moderate-Marxist party formed in 1917.

OriginRussian меньшеви́к →
RareFirst used 20th c.Scrabble 21
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Meanings

nounMenshevik (plural Mensheviks or (literary) Mensheviki)

plural Mensheviks · literary plural Mensheviki

  1. historicalA member of the gradualist or moderate wing of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party during the years preceding the Russian Revolution, when they split with the Bolsheviks; or a member of a later independent moderate-Marxist party formed in 1917.First known use 20th c.

    ‘Better an ultra-leftist than a Menshevik,’ said Rosa Kaletsky.

    1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber 2003, page 259
    2 more examples

    В одном районе в последние 5—6 месяцев представителем был «меньшевик». Благодаря оторванности от общей работы этот район страшно ослаб.

    Vladimir Lenin

    1967 [1905 March 23 (10)], Владимир Ленин [Vladimir Lenin], “Пора кончить”, in В. И. Ленин – Полное собрание сочинений, volume 9, page 145; English translation from “Time to Call a Halt!”, in V. I. Lenin – Collected Works, volume 8, translation of original in Russian, 1977, page 36

    Let me be clear. The men and women on this stage have more ideas, more experience, more common sense than every participant in the Democratic debate. That debate reflected a debate between the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks.

    2015 October 28, Ted Cruz, quotee, “Transcript: Read the Full Text of the CNBC Republican Debate in Boulder”, in TIME, archived from the original on 14 Jul 2024

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
menshevist

Origin

  1. Russianме́ньше
  2. Russianменьшеви́к
  3. EnglishMenshevik

Borrowed from Russian меньшеви́к (menʹševík), derived from меньшинство́ (menʹšinstvó, “minority”), formed in turn from Russian ме́ньше (ménʹše), the comparative of ма́лый (mályj, “little”).

More words from Russian

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian меншеви́к
  • меншеви́к (menševík)member of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Catalan menxevic
  • menxevicmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Chinese Mandarin 孟什維克 /孟什维克
  • 孟什維克 /孟什维克 (mèngshíwéikè)member of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Czech menševik
  • menševikmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Danish mensjevik
  • mensjevikmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Esperanto menŝeviko
  • menŝevikomember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Finnish menševikki, menshevikki
  • menševikkimember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
  • menshevikkimember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
French menchevik
  • menchevikmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
German Menschewik, Menschewikin
  • Menschewikmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
  • Menschewikinmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Italian menscevico, menscevica
  • menscevicomember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
  • menscevicamember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Japanese メンシェヴィキ
  • メンシェヴィキ (mensheviki)member of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Korean 멘셰비키
  • 멘셰비키 (mensyebiki)member of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Polish mienszewik, mienszewiczka
  • mienszewikmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
  • mienszewiczkamember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Portuguese menchevique
  • mencheviquemember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Russian меньшеви́к, меньшеви́чка
  • меньшеви́к (menʹševík)member of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
  • меньшеви́чка (menʹševíčka)member of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Spanish menchevique
  • mencheviquemember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Swedish mensjevik
  • mensjevikmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Ukrainian меншови́к
  • меншови́к (menšovýk)member of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Vietnamese Men-sê-vích, men-sê-vích
  • Men-sê-víchmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
  • men-sê-víchmember of a minority faction of the Russian revolutionary movement
Cite this entry
APA

Menshevik. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Menshevik

MLA

“Menshevik.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Menshevik. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Menshevik,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Menshevik.

Source: Menshevik on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.