Nagaika
/nəˈɡaɪ.kə/noun
A short, flexible whip traditionally used by Cossacks.
Did you know?The word is a borrowing from Russian, and the object became so culturally loaded that it shows up in literature and folklore as a symbol of authority and violence, not just riding gear.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
Russian
нага́йка
“A short Cossack whip used on horseback and as a weapon.”
19th Century
Russian
Нагай
“A name associated with the Nagaï people/Tatars in folk explanation, though the exact origin is uncertain.”
19th Century
English
nagaika
“Borrowed term referring to the Cossack whip.”
Modern English
English
nagaika
“A short whip associated with Cossack tradition.”