Russian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Old Church Slavonic коумиръ (kumirŭ), whose origin is uncertain. Perhaps a Turkic[1] or Semitic[2] borrowing: compare Classical Syriac ܟܘܡܪܐ (kūmrāʾ, priest), whence Old Armenian քուրմ (kʻurm, priest). Has also been connected to Ossetian гуымиры (g°ymiry, giant) and Georgian გმირი (gmiri, hero) and together with them derived from the name of Cimmerians.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): [kʊˈmʲir]
  • (file)

Noun edit

куми́р (kumírm inan or m anim (genitive куми́ра, nominative plural куми́ры, genitive plural куми́ров)

  1. (paganism) idol, graven image
  2. (figuratively) beloved person

Declension edit

Synonyms edit

References edit

  1. ^ Ranko Matasović (2016) "A READER IN COMPARATIVE INDO-EUROPEAN RELIGION". University of Zagreb. page 74. quote: "Gods were represented by giant statues (CSl. kumirъ a word of Turkic origin)."
  2. ^ Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “кумир”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress