Etymograph

English

kontraktnik

Kontraktnik comes from Russian контра́ктник ‘contractor’, and goes back to контракт.

  1. Russianmodernконтрактkontrakt‘contract’
  2. Russian, derivedmodernконтра́ктник‘contractor’literally ‘contractor, contractee’
  3. Englishearliest quotation 2000kontraktnik

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Russianmodernконтрактkontrakt‘contract’
  2. Russian, derivedmodernконтра́ктник‘contractor’literally ‘contractor, contractee’
  3. Englishearliest quotation 2000kontraktnik

Earliest quotation: 2000, Olivia Ward, Nightmare of Russian violence reported by Chechens: “The kontraktniki, some with criminal backgrounds, others veterans of…”

Linked words

through Latin contractus

contract, 6 more

Today it means

noun A voluntary professional soldier of Russia under contract (not a conscript soldier).

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Russian контракт / kontraktnik

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