samovar

[ sam-uh-vahr, sam-uh-vahr ]

noun

1. a metal urn, used especially by Russians for heating water for making tea.

samovar

/ ˌsæməˈvɑː; ˈsæməˌvɑː /

noun

1. (esp in Russia) a metal urn for making tea, in which the water is heated esp formerly by charcoal held in an inner container or nowadays more usually by electricity

Word History and Origins

Origin of samovar¹

1820–30; < Russian samovár, equivalent to samo- self ( same ) + -var, noun derivative of varítʾ to cook, boil

Word History and Origins

Origin of samovar¹

C19: from Russian, from samo- self (related to same ) + varit' to boil

Example Sentences

The city’s history was on sale at a market on the pavement — old coins, samovars, a Ural bike, spinning bobbins and pocket watches.

From New York Times

Ivan Shabelnyk left home with a friend on March 23 to collect pine cones so the family could light the samovar and have tea.

From Seattle Times

Amid the musicians are suitcases, a samovar and other keepsakes from the lives of central characters Chaim and Chaya, who meet in Halifax and go on to have a rocky romance.

From Washington Post

Over the samovar’s chimney, the waiter had draped a string festooned with bublitchki, small bagel-shaped rolls baked to a glossy sheen.

From Literature

After dinners, the family would sit in the open terrace with bowls of dried apricots, and pistachios, sugar candies, and a big samovar of black tea.

From Literature

Related Words

• container
• jar
• vase