List of English words of Ukrainian origin

English words of Ukrainian origin are words in the English language that have been borrowed or derived from the Ukrainian language. Some of them may have entered English via Russian, Polish, or Yiddish, among others. They may have originated in another languages, but are used to describe notions related to Ukraine. Some are regionalisms, used in English-speaking places with a significant Ukrainian diaspora population, especially Canada, but all of these have entered the general English vocabulary.

Some words such as knyaz are traced back to the times of Kievan Rus, and hence claimed both by Russians and Ukrainians, both claiming the Kievan Rus heritage.

Babka (Ukrainian: ба́бка), a sweet Easter bread (related to French baba au rhum)
Bandura (Ukrainian: банду́ра), a stringed instrument
Chumak (Ukrainian: чума́к), a class of merchants and traders from the area comprising modern Ukraine.
Gotch, gotchies, or gitch (Canadian English), underwear. Also gaunch, gaunchies in Alberta
Hetman (Ukrainian: ге́тьман), a Cossack military leader
Holubtsi (Canadian English), (Ukrainian: голубці́ holubtsi, plural from голубе́ць holubets'), cabbage rolls
Hopak (Ukrainian: гопа́к), a lively traditional dance
Horilka (Ukrainian: горілка), a Ukrainian alcoholic beverage.
Kovbasa (Canadian English, from Ukrainian ковбаса́ kovbasa), a garlic sausage. Also kubie, kubie burger
"Oseledets", a haircut similar to that worn by Ukrainian cossacks.
Paska (Ukrainian: па́ска), a decorated Easter bread, also paskha or pashka, a rich dessert with curd cheese and dried fruit
Pyrih (Ukrainian: пирі́г), a pie that can have either a sweet or savoury filling
Pyrizhky (Ukrainian: пиріжки́, plural from пиріжо́к pyrizhok, diminutive from пирі́г pyrih), a generic word for individual-sized baked or fried buns stuffed with a variety of fillings
Pyrohy (Ukrainian: пироги́, plural from пирі́г pyrih), stuffed dumplings or pastry (from western Ukraine, where it is a synonym for varenyky). Also perogy
Pysanka (Ukrainian: пи́санка), a decorated Easter egg
Varenyky (Ukrainian: варе́ники varenyky, plural from варе́ник varenyk), boiled dumplings with a variety of fillings, such as potatoes, cherries, strawberries, meat, etc.

English words from Ukrainian

Cuisine

Borsch (Ukrainian: борщ borshch), beet soup, also used in the expression "cheap like borscht".

Kasha (Ukrainian: ка́ша), a porridge.

Paskha (Ukrainian: па́сха, literally "Easter"). A rich Ukrainian dessert made with soft cheese, dried fruit, nuts, and spices, traditionally eaten at Easter.

Syrniki, sometimes also sirniki (Ukrainian: си́рники syrnyky, from сир syr, originally soft white cheese in Slavic languages). Fried quark cheese pancakes, garnished with sour cream, jam, honey, or apple sauce.

Ethnic

Boyko or Boiko (Ukrainian: бо́йко), a distinctive group of Ukrainian highlanders or mountain-dwellers of the Carpathian highlands.

Cossack (Ukrainian: коза́к kozak, while Russian: каза́к kаzak), a freedom-loving horseman of the steppes.

Hutsul (Ukrainian: гуцу́л), an ethno-cultural group who for centuries have inhabited the Carpathian Mountains.

Lemko (Ukrainian: ле́мко), a distinctive group of Ukrainian highlanders or mountain-dwellers of the Carpathian highlands.

Rusyn (Ukrainian: руси́н), an ethnic group of Ukrainians. Self-name of the inhabitants of medieval states, the predecessors of Ukraine: Russia [Kyivan], Kingdom of Russia, Princedom of Russia as part of Great Duchy of Lithuania; old self-name of the Ukrainians

Verkhovynian or Verkhovynets (Ukrainian: верховинець), a distinctive group of Ukrainian highlanders or mountain-dwellers of the Carpathian highlands.

Politic

Banderist (Ukrainian: банде́рівець), a member of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists or of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.

Boyar (Ukrainian: singular боя́рин boyaryn, plural боя́ри boyary), a member of the highest rank of the feudal Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Ukrainian aristocracy, second only to the ruling princes, from the 10th century through the 17th century. Many headed the civil and military administrations in their country.

Rukh (Ukrainian: Рух; movement), a Ukrainian centre-right political party the People's Movement of Ukraine.

Sich (Ukrainian: січ), the administrative and military centre for Cossacks.

Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian: Верхо́вна Ра́да; Russian: Верхо́вная Ра́да or Верховный Совет), the Ukraine's parliament, literally Supreme Council, formerly also translated as the Supreme Soviet.

Other

Hryvnia or sometimes hryvnya (Ukrainian: гри́вня; Russian: гри́вна or гри́вня), the national currency of Ukraine since 1996.

Hucul or hutsul (Ukrainian: гуцульський кінь, гуцулик or гуцул), a pony or small horse breed originally from the Carpathian Mountains.

Karbovanets (Ukrainian: карбо́ванець; Russian: карбо́ванец), Ukrainian currency in 1917-1920, 1942-1945 and in 1992-1996.

Khorovod (Ukrainian: хорово́д; Russian: хорово́д), a Slavic art form consisting of a combination of a circle dance and chorus singing, similar to Chorea of ancient Greece.

Kniaz (Ukrainian: князь knyaz', etymologically related to the English word king from Old English cyning, meaning "tribe", related the German König, and the Scandinavian konung, probably borrowed early from the Proto-Germanic Kuningaz, a form also borrowed by Finnish and Estonian "Kuningas"; the title and functions however of a Kniaz corresponded, though not exact, to more of a Prince or Duke), a title given to members of Ukrainian nobility that arose during the Rurik dynasty.

Kurgan (Ukrainian: курга́н "tumulus"), a type of burial mound found in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Naftohaz or Naftogaz (Ukrainian: Нафтогаз; Russian: Нафтогаз), the national oil and gas company of Ukraine, literally "Oil and gas".

Surzhyk (Ukrainian: су́ржик; Russian: су́ржик), a mixed (macaronic) sociolects of Ukrainian and Russian languages used in certain regions of Ukraine and adjacent lands.

Tachanka (Ukrainian: тача́нка), a horse-drawn machine gun platform.

References

Katherine Barber, editor (2004). The Canadian Oxford Dictionary, second edition. Toronto: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-541816-6.
Katherine Barber (2008). Only in Canada, You Say: A Treasury of Canadian Language. Toronto: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-542984-8.