refusenik
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refusenik
- /ɹɪˈfjuːznɪk/ UK
- /ɹəˈfjuznɪk/ US
- /ɹi-/ US
Rhymes with -uːznɪk
Where it comes from
From refuse + -nik (suffix denoting a nickname for a person who endorses, exemplifies, or is associated with something, often a particular ideology or preference), a calque of Russian отка́зник (otkáznik), from отка́з (otkáz, “denial, refusal, rejection, repudiation”) + -ник (-nik, suffix forming masculine nouns, usually denoting adherents, etc.).
noun refuseniks · refuseniki
-
One of the citizens of the former Soviet Union who was refused permission to emigrate (typically but not exclusively a Jewish citizen denied permission to immigrate to Israel).
The refuseniki say they don’t want to change anything in the U.S.S.R., only leave it.
Similar: otkaznik
-
A person who refuses to do something, usually as a protest; for example, one who refuses conscription or vaccination.
Near-synonyms: recusant, decliner, dissenter, objector, protester, defier, maverick, nonconformist, rebel, renegade
Similar: refuser, recusant, decliner, dissenter, objector, protester, defier, maverick, nonconformist, rebel, renegade
Translations
Every language
noun one of the citizens of the former Soviet Union who was refused permission to emigrate
| Español | refusenik, refyuznik |
|---|---|
| Português | refusenik |
| Français | refuznik |
| Deutsch | Refusenik, Otkasnik |
| Русский | отка́зник otkáznik, отка́зница otkáznica |
| العربية | رَافِض rāfiḍ |
| עברית | מסורב עֲלִיָּה |
noun person who refuses to do something, usually as a protest
| Français | refuznik |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Verweigerer, Verweigerin |
| Ελληνικά | αρνητής arnitís, αρνήτρια arnítria |
| Русский | отка́зник otkáznik, отка́зница otkáznica |
Talk about this word "refusenik." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/refusenik. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. refusenik. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/refusenik "refusenik." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/refusenik.Cite this
@misc{refusenik_2026,
title = {refusenik},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/refusenik},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
