zakuska

noun

za·​kus·​ka

variants or less commonly zakooska

zəˈku̇skə

plural zakuski

-skē

or zakuska

: hors d'oeuvre

Word History

Etymology

Russian zakuska, from zakusit' to have a snack, from za for, behind + -kusit' (from kus morsel); akin to Lithuanian dialect az̆u, az̆ for, behind, Armenian z with regard to, and to Greek knōdōn sword, Lithuanian kąsti to bite, Latin cinis ashes

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