/reuh skawl"nik/ , n. , pl. Raskolniks, Raskolniki /-ni kee'/ .
a member of any of several sects founded by dissenters from the Russian Orthodox Church who opposed the liturgical reforms of Nikon in the 17th century. Also called Old Believer, Old Ritualist .
[ raskól'nik schismatic, equiv. to raskól split, schism (n. deriv. of raskolót' to split; ras- v. prefix marking dissolution, fracture + kolot' to chop) + -nik agent suffix ]