-улка

Built upon the instrumental suffix Proto-Slavic *-dlo on verbs with u- or ova-conjugation, with addition of the diminutive suffix -ка (-ka).

-улка • (-ulka) f

1. Deverbal, forming feminine instrumental or effect nouns.

   гъдувам (gǎduvam, “to play a melody/refrain”) → гъдулка (gǎdulka, “gadulka”)

   висвам (visvam, “to hang”) → висулка (visulka, “hood”)

2. Denominal, forming feminine animal nouns, probably via an intermediate (often obsolete) inchoative verb.

   невеста (nevesta, “bride, newly wedded”) → *невестувам (*nevestuvam) → невестулка (nevestulka, “weasel”)

   свят (svjat, “world, light”) → светувам (svetuvam, “to light up”) (obsolete) → светулка (svetulka, “firefly”)

• -лка (-lka), -лица (-lica)
• -алка (-alka), -алица (-alica)
• -елка (-elka), -елица (-elica)
• -илка (-ilka)

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

• IPA^(key): [ˈuɫka]

-улка • (-ulka) f

1. Appended to words to create a feminine noun.

   ‎снег m (sneg) + ‎-улка (-ulka) → ‎снегулка f (snegulka)

   ‎свети impf (sveti) + ‎-улка (-ulka) → ‎светулка f (svetulka)

   ‎смрди impf (smrdi) + ‎-улка (-ulka) → ‎смрдулка f (smrdulka)

-улка • (-ulka) impf

1. Appended to verbs to create a diminutive form.

   ‎криви impf (krivi) + ‎-улка (-ulka) → ‎кривулка impf (krivulka)

   ‎свети impf (sveti) + ‎-улка (-ulka) → ‎светулка impf (svetulka)