ראַק

Yiddish

Etymology

Borrowed from Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian рак (rak) and Polish rak, ultimately from Proto-Slavic *ràkъ.

Pronunciation

• Homophone: רק (rak)

Noun

ראַק • (rak) m, plural ראַקעס (rakes) or ראַקן (rakn), diminutive ראַקל (rakl)

1. (countable) crawfish, crayfish
2. (countable) lobster

   Synonyms: (US) לאָבסטער (lobster), האָמאַר (homar)

3. (countable) crab

   Synonym: קראַב (krab)

4. (uncountable, astronomy, astrology) Cancer

   Synonym: מזל־סרטן (mazl-sartn)

5. (countable, pathology) cancer

   Synonym: קאַנצער (kantser)

Usage notes

• The disease cancer takes the plural ראַקן (rakn), while the shellfish take the plural ראַקעס (rakes).

Derived terms

• ים־ראַק (yam-rak, “lobster”, literally “sea-crayfish”)
• ראַק־פּרוש (rakporesh, “hermit crab”)
• ראַקגעשוועל (rakgeshvel, “cancer tumour”, literally “cancer swelling”)
• ראַקטומאָר (raktumor)
• ראַקיק (rakik, adjective)

 

Related terms

• ראַטשקאָם (ratshkom)
• ראַקאָם (rakom)
• ראַקעם (rakem)

 

References

• Astravux, Aljaksandar (2008) “rak”, in Idyš-bjelaruski slóŭnik [Yiddish–Belarusian Dictionary], Minsk: Mjedisónt, →ISBN
• Beinfeld, Solon, Bochner, Harry (2013) “ראַק”, in Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, →ISBN
• Justus van de Kamp et al., “ראַק” in Jiddisch-Nederlands Woordenboek [Yiddish-Dutch Dictionary], Amsterdam: Stichting Jiddische Lexicografie, 1987-present (ongoing). [1].