sæˈxarɒf

Definitions

1. noun

A Soviet dissident and human rights activist, particularly associated with the fight for Soviet Jews’ right to emigrate to Israel.

“The Sakharov Prize, established in 1988, is awarded annually by the European Parliament to individuals or organizations who have made a significant contribution to the defense of human rights and freedom of thought.”

2. proper noun

A reference to Andrei Sakharov, a prominent Soviet nuclear physicist and human rights activist.

“Sakharov’s work in nuclear physics led to the development of the Soviet hydrogen bomb, but he later became a vocal critic of the Soviet government’s human rights abuses.”