Raskolnik

American  

[ruh-skawl-nik] / rəˈskɔl nɪk /

noun

plural

Raskolniks, Raskolniki

1. a member of any of several sects founded by dissenters from the Russian Orthodox Church who opposed the liturgical reforms of Nikon in the 17th century.

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Etymology

Origin of Raskolnik

< Russian raskólʾnik schismatic, equivalent to raskól split, schism (noun derivative of raskolótʾ to split; ras- v. prefix marking dissolution, fracture + kolotʾ to chop) + -nik agent suffix

Example Sentences

The word Raskolnik means, literally, one who splits asunder, and that is just what the Old Believer is—one who has split off from the Orthodox Church.

From Russia As Seen and Described by Famous Writers by Singleton, Esther

We walked out with the old Raskolnik, and at the door I thanked him for his kindness; but even there, and all the way down the long walk through the park, Tolstoi remained silent.

From Autobiography of Andrew Dickson White — Volume 2 by White, Andrew Dickson

At this I reminded him of Theodore Parker's distinction between men who believe and men who "believe that they believe," and said that possibly our Raskolnik was one of the latter.

From Autobiography of Andrew Dickson White — Volume 2 by White, Andrew Dickson

The Orthodox Cross has but two beams, while that of the Raskolnik has four, and is made of four woods—cypress, cedar, palm, and olive; the latter, too, repeats his Allelujah thrice, the Orthodox but twice.

From Russia As Seen and Described by Famous Writers by Singleton, Esther

The czar was one day pointed out to a Raskolnik conscript.

From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 15, No. 88, April, 1875 by Various