снисходительный

Russian

Etymology

снисходи́ть (snisxodítʹ) + -тельный (-telʹnyj)

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [sʲnʲɪsxɐˈdʲitʲɪlʲnɨj]
  • (file)

Adjective

снисходи́тельный • (snisxodítelʹnyj)

  1. indulgent, lenient (tolerant; not strict)
  2. condescending

Usage notes

  • In English, "condescending" previously could be used non-pejoratively to describe someone who socialized in a friendly way with their social inferiors. As the concept of "social inferiors" disappeared, today this meaning is archaic and obsolete, and "condescending" in modern English is only pejorative, meaning "arrogant, patronizing." In modern Russian, however, the more positive meaning is retained, and "снисходи́тельный" often means someone who is tolerant or lenient towards those under their supervision, and is not a synonym for "arrogant" (высокомерный).

Declension

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