Russian

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Etymology

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Inherited from Proto-Slavic *krajьnъ. By surface analysis, край (kraj) +‎ -ний (-nij).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): [ˈkrajnʲɪj]
  • Audio:(file)

Adjective

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кра́йний (krájnij)

  1. outermost
  2. extreme, utmost
    Synonyms: преде́льный (predélʹnyj), чрезвыча́йный (črezvyčájnyj), необыча́йный (neobyčájnyj)
  3. (euphemistic, colloquial) last, most recent
    Synonyms: после́дний (poslédnij), заключи́тельный (zaključítelʹnyj)

Usage notes

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  • The word после́дний (poslédnij) in the sense of “last, final” may be euphemistically replaced by кра́йний (krájnij) by native speakers who perform dangerous jobs (e.g. pilots, climbers, etc.) due to a superstitious fear of foretelling one's death; после́дний (poslédnij) can be seen as connoting “for the last time [in one's life]”.

Declension

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Noun

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кра́йний (krájnijm anim (genitive кра́йнего, nominative plural кра́йние, genitive plural кра́йних, feminine кра́йняя)

  1. (colloquial) scapegoat, fall guy
    Synonyms: козёл отпуще́ния (kozjól otpuščénija), стре́лочник (stréločnik)

Declension

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