dedovshchina

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/dɪdəvˈʃːinə//-dəf-/

noun

Hazing, the informal system of subjection and physical or sexual abuse of new junior conscripts, formerly in the Soviet Armed Forces and contemporarily in the Russian, Ukrainian, etc. armed forces.

Similar
grandfatherism
OriginRussian дедовщи́на →
Scrabble 25
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Meanings

noundedovshchina (uncountable)
  1. uncountableHazing, the informal system of subjection and physical or sexual abuse of new junior conscripts, formerly in the Soviet Armed Forces and contemporarily in the Russian, Ukrainian, etc. armed forces.

    Synonyms: grandfatherism

Synonyms & antonyms

nounHazing, the informal system of subjection and physical or sexual abuse of new junior conscripts, formerly in the Soviet Armed Forces and contemporarily in the Russian, Ukrainian, etc. armed forces.

Similar
grandfatherism
Also see
grandfatherism

Origin

  1. Russianдедовщи́на
  2. Englishdedovshchina

From Russian дедовщи́на (dedovščína), literally “reign of old-timers”.

More words from Russian

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech dědovščina
  • dědovščinabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Dutch dedovsjtsjina
  • dedovsjtsjinabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Finnish simputus
  • simputusbullying in the Soviet/Russian army
French dedovchtchina
  • dedovchtchinabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
German Dedowschtschina
  • Dedowschtschinabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Italian dedovščina
  • dedovščinabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Japanese デドフシナ
  • デドフシナ (dedofushina)bullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Korean 데도브시나
  • 데도브시나 (dedobeusina)bullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Lithuanian dedovščina
  • dedovščinabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Polish diedowszczyna, fala
  • diedowszczynabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
  • falabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Portuguese dedovshchina
  • dedovshchinabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Russian дедовщи́на
  • дедовщи́на (dedovščína)bullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Spanish dedovshchina
  • dedovshchinabullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Ukrainian дідівщи́на
  • дідівщи́на (didivščýna)bullying in the Soviet/Russian army
Cite this entry
APA

dedovshchina. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dedovshchina

MLA

“dedovshchina.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dedovshchina. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dedovshchina,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dedovshchina.

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