What does “козёл” mean in English?
This is an insult used for a nasty or objectionable man, similar to calling someone a 'dick' in English. The literal translation is 'male goat', but that's not how it's used in conversation.
Literally “male goat”
It's typically aimed directly at someone and carries a moderate level of rudeness. You might encounter it in heated arguments or casual insults among friends.
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Related Russian words
скотина
3/5 · Vulgarskotina
It refers to a brute or nasty person, essentially calling someone an animal. The literal translation is 'livestock', but in this context, it’s an insult.
мудила
4/5 · Strongmudila
It's a vulgar insult for someone considered an asshole or generally objectionable. Think of it as calling someone a real piece of shit.
говнюк
3/5 · Vulgargovnyuk
It's an insult that means 'shit person,' akin to calling someone a little shit. It's often used to express disdain for someone's character or actions.
жополиз
3/5 · Vulgarzhopoliz
This is an insult used for someone who is a sycophant or excessively flattering towards others, often to gain favor. Literally, it translates to 'arse licker.'
About this data
Swear Atlas is a source-attested, AI-curated reference — not a native-speaker-certified dictionary. Meanings and the 1–5 Burn Rating are approximate editorial assessments that vary with context, region, tone and speaker. Inclusion of a word does not constitute endorsement of its use.
The literal gloss is a short editorial translation to show word-for-word sense, not an etymological claim.
“Sounds like” is an English-friendly approximation of how the word sounds, not an authoritative pronunciation. Where shown, the romanisation is a conventional Latin-script transliteration of the original spelling.
Term attested via Viddexa SafeText (MIT). Editorial content © Swear Atlas.