From the Slavic suffix represented by Russian -ник (-nik). This suffix experienced a surge in English coinages for nicknames and diminutives after the 1957 Soviet launch of the first Sputnik satellite. English usage is heavily influenced by Yiddish usage of ־ניק (-nik) and similar borrowed words (nogoodnik, nudnik, kibbutznik).
-nik
From -n (“that”) + -ik (partitive suffix).
-nik
The form taken by this clitic depends on the ending of the verbal form to which it is attached, see the usage notes at -n.
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Compare Ingrian -nikka, Latvian -nieks and Russian -ник (-nik).
-nik (genitive -niku, partitive -nikku)
Declension of -nik (ÕS type 25/õnnelik, length gradation) | |||
---|---|---|---|
singular | plural | ||
nominative | -nik | -nikud | |
accusative | nom. | ||
gen. | -niku | ||
genitive | -nike -nikkude | ||
partitive | -nikku | -nikke -nikkusid | |
illative | -nikku -nikusse |
-nikesse -nikkudesse | |
inessive | -nikus | -nikes -nikkudes | |
elative | -nikust | -nikest -nikkudest | |
allative | -nikule | -nikele -nikkudele | |
adessive | -nikul | -nikel -nikkudel | |
ablative | -nikult | -nikelt -nikkudelt | |
translative | -nikuks | -nikeks -nikkudeks | |
terminative | -nikuni | -nikeni -nikkudeni | |
essive | -nikuna | -nikena -nikkudena | |
abessive | -nikuta | -niketa -nikkudeta | |
comitative | -nikuga | -nikega -nikkudega |
From Proto-Slavic *-nikъ.
-nik m
Animate nouns:
Inanimate nouns:
-nik (plural -nikan, obligatorily possessed)
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-nikъ.
-nik m
Inherited from Old Polish -nik
-nik m
Personal nouns:
Impersonal nouns:
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-nikъ, *-ьnikъ, itself originally by nominalization of adjectives in *-ьnъ with the suffix *-ikъ (whence -ik). The suffix originates from the Proto-Balto-Slavic period; compare with dialectal Lithuanian lauk-inykas (“peasant, farmer”) (from laũkas (“field”)) and Old Prussian lauk-inikis (“vassal”).
-nik (Cyrillic spelling -ник)