noun
babushka
A Russian grandmother or elderly woman.
Her babushka tells stories about growing up in a Russian village.
Etymology
Russian baba can name an old woman or grandmother, and -ushka adds an affectionate diminutive. The combination is a familiar grandmother term that can also refer to an elderly woman.
More examples
- She visited her babushka every Sunday.
- Several babushkas chatted on the benches outside the apartment building.
- The memoir recalls the author's beloved babushka.
Forms
babushka · babushkas
Similar words
- grandmother
- Is the usual English family term without the Russian association.
- granny
- Is an affectionate English term rather than a Russian one.