# мечка
## Bulgarian
### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mečьka, either of onomatopoeic origin or a simplified form of *medvědь (the standard proto-Slavic word for “bear”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈmɛt͡ʃkɐ]
* Audio:(file)
* Hyphenation: меч‧ка
* Rhymes: -ɛt͡ʃkɐ

### Noun

ме́чка • (méčka) f (masculine мечо́к)
* female equivalent of мечо́к (mečók): she-bear
* (via generalization) bear (carnivor of family Ursidae)
    кафява мечка ― kafjava mečka ― brown bear
    полярна мечка ― poljarna mečka ― polar bear
    черна мечка ― černa mečka ― black bear
    мечка-гризли ― mečka-grizli ― grizzly bear
* (figurative) lumbering, robust person

#### Derived terms

* (agent noun) мечка́р m (mečkár)
* (agent noun) мечка́рка f (mečkárka)
* ме́чкин (méčkin)
* ме́чков (méčkov)

#### Related terms

* ме́ца (méca), меца́на (mecána)
** мечо́к (mečók, “male bear”)
** мече́ (mečé, “bear cub”)
** ме́чи (méči), ме́чешки (méčeški, “bearish”)
* ме́ча (méča), ме́кам (mékam, “to bellow”) (possibly related)

### References

* “мечка”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
* “мечка”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010
* Nayden Gerov (1899) “ме́чка”, in Рѣчникъ на Блъгарскꙑй язꙑкъ. Съ тлъкувание рѣчи-тꙑ на Блъгарскꙑ и на Русскꙑ. [Dictionary of the Bulgarian language]‎ (in Bulgarian), volume 3, Plovdiv: Дружествена печꙗтница "Съгласие.", page 62
* Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1986), “мечка¹”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 3 (крес¹ – мѝнго¹), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, page 777

## Macedonian
### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mečьka.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈmɛt͡ʃka]
* Audio:(file)
* Hyphenation: меч‧ка

### Noun

мечка • (mečka) f (plural мечки, masculine мечок, relational adjective мечкин, diminutive мече or меченце)
* (zoology) bear
* (figurative) hulk (big, clumsy person)

#### Related terms

* мече n (meče)

### References

* “мечка” in Дигитален речник на македонскиот јазик (Digitalen rečnik na makedonskiot jazik) [Digital dictionary of the Macedonian language] − drmj.eu

## Old Ruthenian
### Etymology

Inherited from Old East Slavic мечька (mečĭka), from Proto-Slavic *mečьka (“she-bear”), further origin uncertain.

### Noun

мечка • (mečka) f animal
* she-bear
    Synonym: медвѣдица (medvědica)

#### Descendants

* Belarusian: ме́чка (mjéčka)
* → Latvian: meška
* → Lithuanian: meškà, mẽškė

### Further reading

* Bulyka, A. M., editor (1999), “мечка”, in Гістарычны слоўнік беларускай мовы [Historical Dictionary of the Belarusian Language] (in Belarusian), numbers 18 (местце – надзовати), Minsk: Belaruskaia navuka, →ISBN, page 20

## Serbo-Croatian
### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mečьka.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /mêt͡ʃka/
* Hyphenation: меч‧ка

### Noun

ме̏чка f (Latin spelling mȅčka)
* she-bear, female bear
* show-bear, trained bear that performs at fairs
* (slang) A Mercedes-Benz car

#### Declension
### Further reading

* “мечка”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025