palaczy

Palacz is a Polish noun with two main senses. First, it denotes a person who smokes tobacco, i.e., a smoker. Second, it refers to a worker who tends or operates a furnace, boiler, or burner, such as a stoker or boiler operator. The word is formed from the verb palić (to burn) with the agent-noun suffix -acz, a common pattern for occupations or roles related to burning or combustion.

Grammatically, palacz is masculine. In singular, forms include palacz (nominative), palacza (genitive), palaczowi (dative), palacza (accusative), palaczem (instrumental), and palaczu (locative). In plural, the nominative is palacze, and the other common forms are palaczy (genitive/accusative), palaczom (dative), palaczami (instrumental), and palaczach (locative). The genitive plural palaczy is frequently encountered in phrases such as liczba palaczy (the number of smokers) or brak palaczy (lack of smokers).

Usage and nuance vary by sense. When referring to people who smoke, palacz often appears with qualifiers such as palacz papierosów or palacz tytoniu to be specific. In industrial or technical contexts, palacz describes someone who operates a furnace, boiler, or burner, as in palacz kotłów (boiler operator) or palacz gazu (gas burner).

See also: palenie, palacz kotłów, palacz gazu. This term illustrates Polish noun formation for agents of action and shows how a single word can span everyday life and occupational language, with meaning clarified by context.