-ник

Bulgarian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ьnikъ.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [nik]

Suffix

-ник • (-nik) m

From base concept nouns, forms agent nouns who execute, embark on or embody the referred concept
‎път (pǎt, “road”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎пъ́тник (pǎ́tnik, “traveler”)

‎мете́ж (metéž, “riot”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎мете́жник (metéžnik, “rioter”)

‎ра́бота (rábota, “work”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎рабо́тник (rabótnik, “worker”)

‎смях (smjah, “laughter”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎смешни́к (smešník, “funnyman, clown”)

‎ум (um, “mind, reason”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎умни́к (umník, “smart person, know-it-all”)

‎затво́р (zatvór, “jail”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎затво́рник (zatvórnik, “inmate”)

‎па́кост (pákost, “mischief”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎па́костник (pákostnik, “mischievous boy”)
From base object nouns, forms derivative object nouns
‎свещ (svešt, “candle”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎све́щник (svéštnik, “candelabrum”)

‎вест (vest, “a piece of news”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎ве́стник (véstnik, “newspaper”)

‎пот (pot, “sweat”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎по́тник (pótnik, “tank top”)

‎сбор (sbor, “sum, aggregate”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎сбо́рник (sbórnik, “collection, anthology”)
From prepositions, forms subject nouns exhibiting the specified proposition
‎проти́в (protív, “against”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎проти́вник (protívnik, “opponent”)

‎над (nad, “over, above”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎на́дник (nádnik, “daily wage”) (dialectal, meaning shifted from "bonus")

‎зад (zad, “behind”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎за́дник (zádnik, “ass, butt”)

Derived terms

Bulgarian terms suffixed with -ник

Related terms

-ик (-ik)
-еник (-enik)
-аник (-anik)

Macedonian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ьnikъ.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [nik]

Suffix

-ник • (-nik)

Suffix appended to nominal stems to create a masculine noun, usually denoting a profession, performer, place, object, tool or a feature.

Derived terms

Macedonian terms suffixed with -ник

Russian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ьnikъ, itself originally by nominalization of adjectives in *-ьnъ with the suffix *-ikъ (whence -ик (-ik)). The suffix originates from the Proto-Balto-Slavic period; compare dialectal Lithuanian lauk-inykas (“peasant, farmer”) (from laũkas (“field”)) and Old Prussian lauk-inikis (“vassal”).

Suffix

-ник or -ни́к • (-nik or -ník)

Suffix appended to nominal stems to create a masculine noun, usually denoting a professional, performer, adherent, place, object, tool or a feature.
‎лы́жа (lýža, “ski”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎лы́жник (lýžnik, “skier”)

‎путь (putʹ, “way, path, road”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎пу́тник (pútnik, “traveler”)

‎бюдже́т (bjudžét, “budget”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎бюдже́тник (bjudžétnik, “government employee”) (colloquial)

‎кни́га (kníga, “book”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎кни́жник (knížnik, “bookseller; book lover; scribe”) (colloquial)

‎двор (dvor, “yard, courtyard”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎дво́рник (dvórnik, “janitor; street cleaner”)

‎бума́га (bumága, “paper, document”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎бума́жник (bumážnik, “wallet; papermaker”)

‎пар (par, “vapor”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎парни́к (parník, “greenhouse”)

‎учёба (učóba, “studies, learning”) + ‎-ник (-nik) → ‎уче́бник (učébnik, “textbook; manual”)

Usage notes

The suffix has the same properties as -ный (-nyj):

A velar (as well as ц) normally turns into a palatal as a result of the Slavic first palatalization.
сапо́г (sapóg, “shoe”) → сапо́жник (sapóžnik, “cobbler”)

скворе́ц (skvoréc, “starling”) → скворе́чник (skvoréšnik, skvoréčnik, “birdhouse, nestbox”)
A stem ending in -л turns into -ль before the suffix; contrariwise, all other stems ending in -ь lose this.
шко́ла (škóla, “school”) → шко́льник (škólʹnik, “schoolboy”)

ла́герь (lágerʹ, “camp”) → ла́герник (lágernik, “prisoner (in a labor camp or concentration camp)”)
With reducible nouns, the stem assumes its non-reduced form before the suffix. With feminine and neuter nouns, this form is found only in the genitive plural. This applies even to nouns with no plural.
яйцо́ (jajcó, “egg”), genitive plural яи́ц (jaíc) → яи́чник (jaíšnik, jaíčnik, “ovary”)

се́рдце (sérdce, “heart”), genitive plural серде́ц (serdéc) → серде́чник (serdéčnik, “core, inner part of a machine”)

ядро́ (jadró, “nucleus”), genitive plural я́дер (jáder) → я́дерник (jádernik, “nuclear physicist”)

ружьё (ružʹjó, “gun”), genitive plural ру́жей (rúžej) → руже́йник (ružéjnik, “gunsmith”)
ё may turn back into е before the suffix.
лёд (ljod, “ice”) → ледни́к (ledník, “icehouse, icebox”)
The stress is sometimes (but not always) drawn onto the preceding syllable.
ружьё (ružʹjó, “gun”), genitive plural ру́жей (rúžej) → руже́йник (ružéjnik, “gunsmith”)
Foreign nouns ending in invariant -е change this to stressed -е́й before the suffix.
ко́фе (kófe, “coffee”) → кофе́йник (koféjnik, “coffee pot”)

шоссе́ (šossɛ́, “highway”) → шоссе́йник (šossɛ́jnik, “racing bicycle, racing cyclist”)
Some adjectives in -ия, -ие change this to stressed -е́й before the suffix (as if they ended in -ья, -ье/-ьё).
ору́жие (orúžije, “weapon, arms”) → оруже́йник (oružéjnik, “weapons maker, armorer, gunsmith”)

Additional properties:

Nouns in -ник may be formed directly from adjectives in -ный (-nyj) when no base noun exists or has a different meaning:
поля́рный (poljárnyj, “polar”) (formed from a foreign word, e.g. German polar) → поля́рник (poljárnik, “polar explorer”)

ча́стный (částnyj, “private”) (formed from часть (častʹ, “part, share”)) → ча́стник (částnik, “(colloquial) private owner, private entrepreneur”)
Not all nouns ending in -ник contain this suffix. Some contain -ик, e.g. чле́ник (člénik, “(anatomy) segment”) from член (člen, “limb”).
In some nouns, the suffix is stressed, in which case it declines according to accent pattern b (always end-stressed).
ледни́к (ledník, “glacier”), genitive singular ледника́ (ledniká), nominative plural ледники́ (lednikí)

Note in particular that nouns in -ка (-ka), -ко (-ko) have corresponding derived nouns in unstressed -очник or -ечник.

Declension

Declension of -ник, -ни́к (bian masc-form velar-stem accent-a/b)

		singular	plural
nominative		-ник, -ни́к -nik, -ník	-ники, -ники́ -niki, -nikí
genitive		-ника, -ника́ -nika, -niká	-ников, -нико́в -nikov, -nikóv
dative		-нику, -нику́ -niku, -nikú	-никам, -ника́м -nikam, -nikám
accusative	animate	-ника, -ника́ -nika, -niká	-ников, -нико́в -nikov, -nikóv
accusative	inanimate	-ник, -ни́к -nik, -ník	-ники, -ники́ -niki, -nikí
instrumental		-ником, -нико́м -nikom, -nikóm	-никами, -ника́ми -nikami, -nikámi
prepositional		-нике, -нике́ -nike, -niké	-никах, -ника́х -nikax, -nikáx

Derived terms

Russian terms suffixed with -ник

двадцатичетырёхгранник

двадцатичетырёхугольник

Related terms

-ик (-ik)
-ика (-ika)
-ица (-ica)
-ница (-nica)
-шник (-šnik)

Descendants

→ English: -nik
→ Ingrian: -nikka
→ Finnish: -niekka

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-(ь)nikъ, itself originally by nominalization of adjectives in *-ьnъ with the suffix *-ikъ (whence -ик). The suffix originates from the Proto-Balto-Slavic period; compare with dialectal Lithuanian lauk-inykas (“peasant, farmer”) (from laũkas (“field”)) and Old Prussian lauk-inikis (“vassal”).

Suffix

-ник (Latin spelling -nik)

Suffix appended to nominal stems to create a masculine noun, usually denoting a profession, performer, place, object, tool or a feature.

Derived terms

Related terms

Ukrainian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ьnikъ, itself originally by nominalization of adjectives in *-ьnъ with the suffix *-ikъ (whence -ик (-yk)). The suffix originates from the Proto-Balto-Slavic period; compare dialectal Lithuanian lauk-inykas (“peasant, farmer”) (from laũkas (“field”)) and Old Prussian lauk-inikis (“vassal”). Reanalize as -н (-n) +‎ -ик (-yk)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ nɪk]

Suffix

-ник • (-nyk) m pers or m inan (feminine -ниця)

forms masculine agent nouns, denoting profession, occupation or relation;
‎видава́ти (vydaváty, “to publish, to issue”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎видавни́к (vydavnýk, “publisher, issuer”)

‎ви́робити (výrobyty, “to produce, to manufacture”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎виробни́к (vyrobnýk, “producer, manufacturer”)

‎предста́вити (predstávyty, “to represent”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎представни́к (predstavnýk, “representative”)

‎рятува́ти (rjatuváty, “to save, to rescue”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎рятівни́к (rjativnýk, “rescuer, savior”)

‎дві́йка (dvíjka, “two”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎дві́єчник (dvíječnyk, “pupil who performs poorly in school ("two" was the lowest grade in the Soviet five-point grading system)”)

‎ли́жа (lýža, “ski”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎ли́жник (lýžnyk, “skier”)

‎ліс (lis, “forest, woods”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎лісни́к (lisnýk, “ranger, forest ranger”)

‎та́нець (tánecʹ, “dance”) + ‎-ов (-ov) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎танцівни́к (tancivnýk, “dancer”)
forms abstract masculine agent nouns;
‎діли́ти (dilýty, “to divide”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎дільни́к (dilʹnýk, “divisor”)

‎мно́жити (mnóžyty, “to multiply”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎мно́жник (mnóžnyk, “multiplier”)

‎розчини́ти (rozčynýty, “to dilute, to dissolve”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎розчи́нник (rozčýnnyk, “dissolvent, solvent, thinner, diluent”)

‎загусти́ти (zahustýty, “to thicken”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎загу́сник (zahúsnyk, “thickener”)
forms masculine nouns, denoting tools, equipment, mechanisms;
‎рука́ (ruká, “hand”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎ручни́к (ručnýk, “hand brake, stickshift”)

‎ви́міряти (výmirjaty, “to measure”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎вимі́рник (vymírnyk, “meter”)

‎вого́нь (vohónʹ, “fire”) + ‎гаси́ти (hasýty, “to extinguish”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎вогнега́сник (vohnehásnyk, “fire extinguisher”)

‎пла́вати (plávaty, “to swim”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎плавни́к (plavnýk, “fin”)
forms masculine nouns, denoting place;
‎квіт (kvit, “flower”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎квітни́к (kvitnýk, “flower-garden, parterre”)

‎журавли́на (žuravlýna, “cranberry”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎журавли́нник (žuravlýnnyk, “cranberry field”)

‎ку́ри (kúry, “chickens”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎ку́рник (kúrnyk, “chicken coop”)

‎мура́ха (muráxa, “ant”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎мура́шник (murášnyk, “anthill, ant nest”)

‎яйце́ (jajcé, “ovum, egg”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎яє́чник (jajéčnyk, “ovary, ovarium”)

‎сі́м'я (símʺja, “seed, sperm”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎сім'яни́к (simʺjanýk, “testicle”)
forms masculine nouns, denoting plants;
‎борщ (boršč, “borscht, hogweed”) + ‎-ів (-iv) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎борщівни́к (borščivnýk, “hogweed”)

‎жа́ба (žába, “frog”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎жабни́к (žabnýk, “cudweed, cottonrose”)

‎по (po, “by”) + ‎доро́га (doróha, “road, way”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎подоро́жник (podoróžnyk, “plantain”)

Usage notes

Just like -ний (-nyj), this suffix triggers Slavic first palatalization.
Some words featuring -ник (-nyk) are actually derived from adjectives suffixed with -ний (-nyj) and -ик (-yk), however sometimes they are difficult to tell apart. Words such as пусте́льник (pustélʹnyk, “hermit, ascetic”) can both derive from пусте́ля (pustélja) +‎ -ник (-nyk) and пусте́льний (pustélʹnyj) +‎ -ик (-yk).
Stems ending in -л turns into -ль before the suffix
‎діли́ти (dilýty, “to divide”) + ‎-ник (-nyk) → ‎дільни́к (dilʹnýk, “divisor”)

Declension

Declension of *-ни́к*
(inan velar masc-form accent-a)
	singular	plural
nominative	-ни́к -nýk	-ни́ки -nýky
genitive	-ни́ка -nýka	-ни́ків -nýkiv
dative	-ни́кові, -ни́ку -nýkovi, -nýku	-ни́кам -nýkam
accusative	-ни́к -nýk	-ни́ки -nýky
instrumental	-ни́ком -nýkom	-ни́ками -nýkamy
locative	-ни́ку -nýku	-ни́ках -nýkax
vocative	-ни́ку -nýku	-ни́ки -nýky