Kalmyk

C2+ Topic:People & Society

Also spelled Kulmucks

US /kælˈmɪk/ UK /kælˈmɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #799275

Meanings

1

noun
a member of a traditionally Buddhist Oirat Mongol people living chiefly in Kalmykia near the northwestern Caspian Sea

A Kalmyk historian recorded oral accounts of migration across the Eurasian steppe.
2

noun
the Oirat language spoken by the Kalmyk people

The school offers lessons in Kalmyk as well as Russian.
3

adj
relating to the Kalmyk people, their language, or their culture

The collection includes Kalmyk manuscripts and devotional objects.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · the oirat language spoken... Kalmyk language

Word family

Related forms KalmykiaOiratMongolCaspian Sea

Etymology

Borrowed through Russian kalmyk from a Turkic exonym, traditionally connected with a verb meaning 'remain' or 'stay behind,' though the historical interpretation is debated. Kalmuck, Kalmuk, and Calmuck are older English variants; Kulmuck is a rarer historical spelling.

Topics

People & Society Register & Style

External links

# Kalmyk

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /kælˈmɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /kælˈmɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 799275

## Meanings
1. a member of a traditionally Buddhist Oirat Mongol people living chiefly in Kalmykia near the northwestern Caspian Sea
2. the Oirat language spoken by the Kalmyk people
3. relating to the Kalmyk people, their language, or their culture

## Examples
- A Kalmyk historian recorded oral accounts of migration across the Eurasian steppe.
- The school offers lessons in Kalmyk as well as Russian.
- The collection includes Kalmyk manuscripts and devotional objects.

## Related Forms
- Kalmykia
- Oirat
- Mongol
- Caspian Sea

## Etymology
Borrowed through Russian kalmyk from a Turkic exonym, traditionally connected with a verb meaning 'remain' or 'stay behind,' though the historical interpretation is debated. Kalmuck, Kalmuk, and Calmuck are older English variants; Kulmuck is a rarer historical spelling.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Register & Style

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