кефир

See also: кефір

Macedonian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈkɛfir]

Noun

кефир • (kefir) m

kefir

Declension

Declension of кефир

	singular
indefinite	кефир
definite unspecified	кефирот
definite proximal	кефиров
definite distal	кефирон
vocative	кефиру

Russian

Alternative forms

кефи́ръ (kefír) — Pre-reform orthography (1918)
кафи́р (kafír) — obsolete

Etymology

Borrowed into Russian from a language of the Caucausus; compare Mingrelian ქიფური (kipuri), Ossetian къӕпы (k’æpy), Karachay-Balkar гыпы (gıpı). The ultimate origin is unknown. The fact the word has an f instead of a p indicates possible transmission to Russian through Arabic كِفِير (kifīr), which would have served as a lingua franca in the Muslim parts of the Caucasus. Relation with a potential Kipchak substrate *köp-ür- is unknown; if that is the case, cognate with Turkish köpürmek ("to foam"), Tatar küp- ("to swell") and Chuvash кӑпӑк (kăp̬ăk) ("foam").

Pronunciation

Audio: (file)
IPA^(key): [kʲɪˈfʲir]

Noun

кефи́р • (kefír) m inan (genitive кефи́ра, nominative plural кефи́ры, genitive plural кефи́ров, relational adjective кефи́рный, diminutive кефи́рчик)

kefir (a yogurt-like beverage made from fermented cows' milk)
Я про́сто обожа́ю кефи́р, но зато́ терпе́ть не могу́ молоко́! ― Ja prósto obožáju kefír, no zató terpétʹ ne mogú molokó! ― I just love kefir, but, on the other hand, I hate milk!

Declension

Declension of кефи́р (inan masc-form hard-stem accent-a)

	singular	plural
nominative	кефи́р kefír	кефи́ры kefíry
genitive	кефи́ра kefíra	кефи́ров kefírov
dative	кефи́ру kefíru	кефи́рам kefíram
accusative	кефи́р kefír	кефи́ры kefíry
instrumental	кефи́ром kefírom	кефи́рами kefírami
prepositional	кефи́ре kefíre	кефи́рах kefírax

References

Chernykh, P. Ja. (1993) “кефир”, in Историко-этимологический словарь русского языка [Historical-Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), 3rd edition, volume 1 (а – пантомима), Moscow: Russian Lang., →ISBN, page 393
Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “кефир”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
Abajev, V. I. (1958) Историко-этимологический словарь осетинского языка [Historical-Etymological Dictionary of the Ossetian Language] (in Russian), volume I, Moscow and Leningrad: Academy Press, page 627