samovar

American  

[sam-uh-vahr, sam-uh-vahr] / ˈsæm əˌvɑr, ˌsæm əˈvɑr /

noun

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

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samovar British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of samovar

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

Example Sentences

Now she tried to stand up, but her legs buckled beneath her, and she nearly fell into the samovar.

From Literature

One by one the participants approach a gigantic samovar, select a tea cup and fill it with hot water.

From BBC

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

Related Words

• container
• jar
• vase