Popovets

noun

Po·​po·​vets

pəˈpȯvə̇ts

plural Popovtsy

-ȯftsē

: a member of one of the major groups of the Raskolnik in Russia which maintains the hierarchical structure of episcopate and priesthood and is thereby distinguished from the priestless branch of the Bezpopovtsy compare bezpopovets

Word History

Etymology

Russian, from popov- (plural stem of pop priest) + -ets agent suffix

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!