Etymology Map
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Kibitka

3 stages from Tatar to English.

Today it means a Russian hooded wagon or sledge; a nomad's felt tent

Where does the word "kibitka" come from? It comes from Tatar kibit, passing through Russian before entering English (1790s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
kibit
Tatar · medieval
"booth, tent"
a booth or felt-covered shelter of the Volga nomads
2
Stage 2 of 3
kibitka
Russian · 1700s
"covered wagon"
a hooded wagon or sledge for long journeys, notorious for carrying exiles to Siberia
3
Stage 3 of 3
kibitka
English · 1790s
"a Russian covered wagon"
used in English accounts of travel across the Russian empire
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Read the full story

Kibitka’s story begins in Tatar: kibit meant “booth, tent.” A booth or felt-covered shelter of the Volga nomads. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in Russian as kibitka. A hooded wagon or sledge for long journeys, notorious for carrying exiles to Siberia. It reached English by 1790s as kibitka. Used in English accounts of travel across the Russian empire. Today, kibitka means a Russian hooded wagon or sledge; a nomad's felt tent.