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Glite Dictionary
tovarish

tovarish

1 9.9
A word people use when speaking to a friend in Russian or Soviet groups
  • noun
  • /təˈvɑːrɪʃ/
: camarada
  • During the meeting, each tovarish shared their thoughts on the new policy.

Examples

  • He greeted his old friend with a cheerful 'Hello, tovarish!'

  • Comrade, you are my tovarish in this struggle.

  • The novel describes the loyalty between two tovarish during difficult times.

  • We will fight together, tovarish!

  • He greeted his friend with a cheerful, "tovarish, how have you been?"

  • In the old revolutionary films, characters often referred to each other as tovarish in moments of camaraderie.

  • The literal translation of tovarish is comrade, but it carries a unique sense of friendship in Russian culture.

Synonyms

comrade
vstovarish
183 3.8

A friend or companion who shares activities and experiences

is more specific to Russian or Soviet address in communist or socialist contexts
tovarich
vstovarish
1 9.9

A person who Soviet and Russian communists call a friend or fellow member

is the same idea but emphasizes term of address in some contexts
tovarisch
vstovarish
1 9.9

A person called comrade by Russian or Soviet communists

is used more generally and not only as a direct address

Surface Forms

tovarish singular
tovarishes plural

Etymology

The word tovarish comes from Russian and first meant a trading partner: it comes from tovar meaning 'goods', so a tovarish was someone you shared goods or business with. Later it became a word for a close companion and in the Soviet Union it was used like 'comrade', which is why today tovarish still means a comrade or friend.