silovik

S1I1L1O1V4I1K5
/ˈsiːləvɪk//ˈsɪləvɪk/

noun

A member of the Russian military, law enforcement, or intelligence services (the KGB or FSB), or a politician with a background in such services.

OriginRussian силови́к →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounsilovik (plural siloviks or siloviki)

plural siloviks · plural siloviki

  1. governmentA member of the Russian military, law enforcement, or intelligence services (the KGB or FSB), or a politician with a background in such services.

    [T]he so-called siloviki have installed themselves deep inside the country’s boss class – something that did not happen to anything like the same degree during the Cold War.

    2023, Robert Service, “The Misinformation Game”, in Literary Review, number 520

Origin

  1. Russianсилови́к
  2. Englishsilovik

From Russian силови́к (silovík), from си́ла (síla, “force”) + adjective suffix -ов (-ov, “-able/-ible”) + agent suffix -ик (-ik, “-ist, -er”), adjective: силово́й (silovój, “of or related to force”).

More words from Russian

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian силови́к
  • силови́к (silovík)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Chinese Mandarin 西羅維基 /西罗维基, 強力部門 /强力部门
  • 西羅維基 /西罗维基 (xīluówéijī)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
  • 強力部門 /强力部门 (qiánglì bùmén)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Dutch silovik
  • silovikformer member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Finnish silovikki
  • silovikkiformer member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
French silovik
  • silovikformer member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
German Silowik
  • Silowikformer member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Hebrew סילוביקי
  • סילוביקי (silovík)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Japanese シロヴィキ, シロヴィク
  • シロヴィキ (shiroviki)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
  • シロヴィク (shiroviku)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Korean 실로비키, 실로비크
  • 실로비키 (sillobiki)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
  • 실로비크 (sillobikeu)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Norwegian Bokmål silovik
  • silovikformer member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Russian силови́к
  • силови́к (silovík)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Swedish silovik
  • silovikformer member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Turkish silovik
  • silovikformer member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Ukrainian силови́к
  • силови́к (sylovýk)former member of the security services and the military, any power structure (Russia)
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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