Menshevik

noun

Men·​she·​vik ˈmen(t)-shə-ˌvik 

-ˌvēk

plural Mensheviks or Mensheviki ˌmen(t)-shə-ˈvi-kē 

-ˈvē-kē

: a member of a wing of the Russian Social Democratic party before and during the Russian Revolution believing in the gradual achievement of socialism by parliamentary methods in opposition to the Bolsheviks

Menshevism

ˈmen(t)-shə-ˌvi-zəm 

noun

Menshevist

ˈmen(t)-shə-vist 

noun or adjective

Word History

Etymology

Russian men'shevik, from men'she less; from their forming the minority group of the party

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above