Zhivkov

American  

[zhif-kawf] / ˈʒɪf kɔf /

noun

1. Todor 1911–98, Bulgarian political leader: prime minister 1962–71, president 1971–89.

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Zhivkov British  

/ ˈʒifkof /

noun

1. Todor (ˈtɔdor). 1911–98, Bulgarian statesman and party leader; prime minister (1962–71); president (1971–89)

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Example Sentences

A party headed by Radev could attract "voters across the patriotic and eurosceptic spectrum," Zhivkov said.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

The next day, the dictator Todor I. Zhivkov resigned as Bulgaria’s president and Communist Party chief after ruling for 35 years, more than any other Eastern European leader.

From New York Times • Aug. 30, 2022

But Borissov, 62, a burly former bodyguard of late Communist dictator Todor Zhivkov, is unlikely to find allies to forge a coalition, analysts say.

From Reuters • Nov. 14, 2021

As Kim Il-Sung told his Bulgarian counterpart Todor Zhivkov in 1973, “If they listen to us, and a confederation is established, South Korea will be done with.”

From Slate • Feb. 22, 2017

The intraparty factional strife that ensued lasted into the 1960s, but Zhivkov, who had established a close relationship with Soviet party leader Nikita Khrushchev, eventually overcame the opposition and stabilized his regime.

From Area Handbook for Bulgaria by Baluyut, Violeta D.