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Where does the word "kopek" come from? It comes from Russian kopeika, and was adopted directly into English (1690s).
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Where does the word "kopek" come from? It comes from Russian kopeika, and was adopted directly into English (1690s).
Kopek’s story begins in Russian: kopeika meant “small silver coin.” From kop'ë 'spear': the 1535 coinage reform of the regent Elena Glinskaya struck coins showing the ruler on horseback with a spear. It reached English by 1690s as kopek. A hundredth of a ruble since Peter the Great's 1704 reform. Today, kopek means a Russian coin worth one hundredth of a ruble.
- Stage 1 · Russian · 1535 kopeika "small silver coin", from kop'ë 'spear': the 1535 coinage reform of the regent Elena Glinskaya struck coins showing the ruler on horseback with a spear.
- Stage 2 · English · 1690s kopek "Russian coin", a hundredth of a ruble since Peter the Great's 1704 reform.