birka

First attested in 1347. Of debated origin:^[1]

• A native word.
• Borrowed from Czech.

• IPA^(key): [ˈbirkɒ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: bir‧ka
• Rhymes: -kɒ

birka (plural birkák)

1. sheep

   Synonym: juh

2. mutton, lamb (meat)

   Synonyms: juhhús, birkahús

3. (derogatory) sheep (person who unquestioningly accepts as true whatever their political leaders say or who adopts popular opinion as their own without scrutiny)

• birka in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.
• birka in Nóra Ittzés, editor, A magyar nyelv nagyszótára [A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (Nszt.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published a–ez as of 2024).

From Russian би́рка (bírka).

birka f (4th declension)

1. tag
2. label

birka f (definite singular birka, indefinite plural birker or birkor, definite plural birkene or birkone)

1. (pre-2012) alternative form of bjørkje
2. definite singular of birke (non-standard since 2012)

birka

1. badly wounded, bruised, sore

• 1839, George Grey, Vocabulary of the Aboriginal Language of Western Australia (Perth gazette and Western Australian journal)