Cossack

[ kos-ak, -uhk ]

noun

1. (especially in czarist Russia) a person belonging to any of certain groups of Slavs living chiefly in the southern part of Russia in Europe and forming an elite corps of horsemen.

Cossack

/ ˈkɒsæk /

noun

1. (formerly) any of the free warrior-peasants of chiefly East Slavonic descent who lived in communes, esp in Ukraine, and served as cavalry under the tsars

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Cossacks

   a Cossack dance

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cossack¹

1590–1600; < Polish kozak or Ukrainian kozák, ultimately < a Turkic word taken to mean “adventurer, freebooter,” adopted as an ethnic name by Turkic tribal groups of the Eurasian steppes

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cossack¹

C16: from Russian kazak vagabond, of Turkic origin

Example Sentences

He continues in the same vein: “If we have an order to move forward, we can get to Moscow - and we'll show what Ukraine means and what are our guys are like - real Cossacks.”

From BBC

The play dramatizes the story of a Cossack leader in a Ukrainian community almost 400 years ago as he tries to root out witches that local townspeople believe are responsible for a drought.

From New York Times

Aussie Cossack followed up with another post on X with the likeness of a video showing the actual attacker, Cauchi, side by side with a picture of Mr Cohen.

From BBC

Mr Suny points out that the inhabitants of these lands when they were conquered by Russia were neither Russian nor Ukrainian, but Ottoman, Tatar or Cossacks - Slavic peasants who had fled to the frontiers.

From BBC

More recently, say, 500 years ago, it became a fortress for the Zaporizhzhian Cossacks, a military community from the eastern European steppes that played a prominent role in building a Ukrainian state.

From New York Times