приживалка

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Russian

Etymology

прижива́л (priživál) +‎ -ка (-ka)

Pronunciation

Noun

прижива́лка (priživálkaf anim (genitive прижива́лки, nominative plural прижива́лки, genitive plural прижива́лок)

  1. (historical) a poor female non-serf (noblewoman, intellectual, merchant) who lived in a rich person's house at the owner's expense, did not have any particular responsibilities/occupation and entertained and kept the owner company
    Synonym: прижива́льщица (priživálʹščica)
    • 1880, Салтыков-Щедрин, “По-родственному”, in Господа Головлёвы; English translation from I. P. Foote, transl., The Golovlevs, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986:
      Из бесконтрольной и бранчивой обладательницы головлёвских имений Арина Петровна сделалась скромною приживалкой в доме младшего сына, приживалкой праздною и не имеющею никакого голоса в хозяйственных распоряжениях.
      Iz beskontrolʹnoj i brančivoj obladatelʹnicy golovljóvskix imenij Arina Petrovna sdelalasʹ skromnoju priživalkoj v dome mladševo syna, priživalkoj prazdnoju i ne imejuščeju nikakovo golosa v xozjajstvennyx rasporjaženijax.
      After being the absolute and fractious mistress of the Golovlev estates, Arina Petrovna is now a humble dependant in the household of her youngest son, a dependant with nothing to do and with no voice in the domestic management.
  2. (figuratively, disapproving) a female living at someone else's expense; dependent, parasite, leech
    Synonym: прижива́льщица (priživálʹščica)

Declension