-овка

Etymology

Originally from -ка (-ka) added to adjectives ending in -овый (-ovyj) or -ово́й (-ovój); later extracted out as its own suffix.

Pronunciation

• -о́вка: IPA^(key): [ˈofkə]
• -овка: IPA^(key): [əfkə]

Suffix

-о́вка or -овка • (-óvka or -ovka)

1. suffix appended to nouns to form related nouns of various sorts, both animate and inanimate, generally referring to more specific objects than the base lemma

   коне́ц (konéc, “end”) (stem конц- (konc-)) → концо́вка (koncóvka, “ending (of a story)”)

   ве́тер (véter, “wind”) (stem ветр- (vetr-)) → ветро́вка (vetróvka, “windbreaker”) (ветрово́й (vetrovój) also exists)

   кросс (kross, “cross country running”) → кроссо́вка (krossóvka, “sneaker, athletic shoe”)

   лист (list, “leaf, sheet of paper”) → листо́вка (listóvka, “leaflet, flyer”) (листово́й (listovój) also exists)

   нож (nož, “knife”) → ножо́вка (nožóvka, “handsaw”)

   оре́х (oréx, “nut”) → оре́ховка (oréxovka, “nutcracker, nuthatch (bird)”) (оре́ховый (oréxovyj) also exists)

2. suffix appended to nouns referring to males, to form the corresponding noun referring to females

   вор (vor, “thief”) → воро́вка (voróvka, “female thief”)

Suffix

-овка (Latin spelling -ovka)

1. Suffix appended to words to create a feminine noun, denoting a part, profession, feature, membership, origin, social status, complexion, proper name, abstract noun or animal's name.

See also

• -ка
• -инка
• -енка