шиш

• IPA^(key): [ʂɨʂ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɨʂ

17th century; perhaps from French chiche (“stingy, niggardly; also "I dare you!"”).

шиш • (šiš) m inan (genitive шиша́, nominative plural шиши́, genitive plural шише́й)

1. rude gesture in which the hand makes a fist and the thumb is stuck between the index and middle fingers, which indicates "nothing for you, nuts to you"

   Synonyms: фи́га (fíga), ду́ля (dúlja), ку́киш (kúkiš)

Not the same vulgar meaning that this gesture has in Western European countries such as Germany.

Etymology uncertain. Sometimes theorized to be of Turkic origin; compare Turkish şişmek (“to swell, to fatten”). This is dismissed by Vasmer as a mere coincidence.

шиш • (šiš) m anim (genitive шиша́, nominative plural шиши́, genitive plural шише́й, diminutive шишок)

1. (mythology, somewhat dated) devil, demon

   Synonyms: бес (bes), чёрт (čort)

   • 1924/1993, G. Lysenko, M. Serowa, Новгородские сказки:

     Усилась баба шишу на́ спину, за рога ухватилась

     Usilasʹ baba šišu ná spinu, za roga uxvatilasʹ

     The broad got on the devil's back, (and) grasped the horns

Etymology uncertain.

шиш • (šiš) m anim (genitive шиша́, nominative plural шиши́, genitive plural шише́й)

1. (dated) A highwayman

   Synonyms: варнак (varnak), разбойник (razbojnik)

• → Estonian: siss
• → Finnish: sissi

• Епишкин, Николай Иванович (2010) “шиш”, in Исторический словарь галлицизмов русского языка (in Russian), Moscow: Словарное издательство ЭТС
• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “шиш”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress

• Dal, Vladimir (1880–1882) “шишара”, in Толковый Словарь живаго великорускаго языка [Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language] (in Russian), 2nd edition, Publication of the bookseller-typographer Wolf, M. O.