-лка

Etymology

In the meaning of a tool or instrument, may originate from a combination of the Proto-Slavic tool suffix *-dlo (Russian -ло (-lo), e.g. мы́ло (mýlo, “soap”), ра́ло (rálo, “plow”), ши́ло (šílo, “awl”)) + the diminutive -ка (-ka).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lkə]

Suffix

-лка • (-lka) f

1. -er (forms nouns denoting objects, generally tools or instruments, from verbs)

   меша́ть (mešátʹ, “to mix, to blend”) → меша́лка (mešálka, “mixer, blender”)

   ве́шать (véšatʹ, “to hang”) → ве́шалка (véšalka, “coat hanger”)

   горе́ть (gorétʹ, “to burn”) → горе́лка (gorélka, “burner (on a stove, etc.); nozzle of a welding torch”)

   моро́зить (morózitʹ, “to freeze”) → морози́лка (morozílka, “freezer”)

   копи́ть (kopítʹ, “to accumulate”) → копи́лка (kopílka, “money box, piggy bank”)

   греть (gretʹ, “to heat”) → гре́лка (grélka, “hot water bottle”)

   зажига́ть (zažigátʹ, “to set fire, to ignite”) → зажига́лка (zažigálka, “cigarette lighter”)

   дразни́ть (draznítʹ, “to tease”) → дразни́лка (draznílka, “teasing rhyme; (film) teaser (colloquial)”)

2. (forms nouns denoting places, generally of a colloquial nature, from verbs)

   кури́ть (kurítʹ, “to smoke”) → кури́лка (kurílka, “smoking room (colloquial)”)

   па́рить (páritʹ, “to steam”) → пари́лка (parílka, “steam room, sauna, steam bath”)

   па́рить (páritʹ, “to steam”) → па́рилка (párilka, “steaming room in a factory”)

   чита́ть (čitátʹ, “to read”) → чита́лка (čitálka, “reading room (colloquial)”)

   раздева́ться (razdevátʹsja, “to take off a coat”) → раздева́лка (razdeválka, “coatroom (colloquial)”)

   зажига́ть (zažigátʹ, “to set fire, to ignite”) → зажига́лка (zažigálka, “cigarette lighter”)

3. (forms nouns, denoting women performing an occupation, from verbs)

   сиде́ть (sidétʹ, “to sit, to look after”) → сиде́лка (sidélka, “female caretaker (of a person), sick nurse”)

   гада́ть (gadátʹ, “to divine, to tell fortunes”) → гада́лка (gadálka, “female fortuneteller”)