-nik
a suffix of nouns that refer, usually derogatorily, to persons who support or are concerned or associated with a particular political cause or group, cultural attitude, or the like: beatnik, filmnik; no-goodnik; peacenik.
Origin of -nik
< Yiddish (cf.
nudnik) < Slavic: a personal suffix in Slavic languages in contact with Yiddish
British Dictionary definitions for -nik
-nik
suffix forming nouns
denoting a person associated with a specified state, belief, or quality
beatnik; refusenik
Word Origin for -nik
C20: from Russian
-nik, as in
Sputnik, and influenced by Yiddish
-nik (agent suffix)