nepman

noun

nep·​man

ˈnepmən,

-ˌman

plural nepmen

: one of a group of small private traders and merchants appearing briefly in Russia during the third decade of the 20th century as a result of a temporary relaxation by the Communist government of its ban on private enterprise

Word History

Etymology

Russian, from nep New Economic Policy (from Novaya Ekonomicheskaya Politika New Economic Policy) + -man (probably from German mann man, from Old High German man)

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!