Phonetic transcription /sæməvɑːʳ /
Russian compound of:
Samo- (само), “self”, and
Varit (варить), “to boil”.
Literally “self-boiler.”
Definition#
A metal container traditionally used to heat and boil water for tea. It consists of a large, often urn-shaped body with a vertical metal pipe running through the center. This pipe is filled with solid fuel (charcoal or pinecones) to heat the surrounding water. A small teapot containing tea concentrate (zavarka) is typically perched on the top to stay warm.
Syn:
Phraseology#
Literary quotes#
Like a genie coming out of a samovar,
a handsome prince arose in the
corner of her bedroom.
He had kind eyes and hands
and was a friend of sorrow.
Thus they were married.
After all he had compromised her.
Anne Sexton, The Frog Prince, The Complete Poems, Houghton Mifflin Company 1981 1971.
https://www.best-poems.net/anne_sexton/the_frog_prince.html
Encyclopaedic notes#
The samovar, literally meaning ‘self-brewer’ originated in Russia and is a vessel, made of metal that was used to heat and boil water for tea. Within the body, there is a center tube running vertically through the samovar where one would put lighted fuel – perhaps coal, charcoal, or even pinecones to create a fire. One might keep it smoldering so it could be quickly rekindled with a kind of bellows designed for this purpose. However, the Russians would consider it an abomination to serve water that was heated longer than 15 minutes for tea.
Boylston Historical Society website
https://www.boylstonhistory.org/category/Antique_Victorian_Samovar/c140
