The Word of the Day comes from "THE KEEPERS" by Al Campbell.
MATRYOSHKA
I have only ever heard of these dolls being called Babushka dolls, but apparently they are also called Matryoshka dolls, Russian Tea dolls, Stacking dolls, Nesting dolls.
Regardless of what they are called the are a set of wooden dolls that diminish in size and fit inside one another.
The name matryoshka means "little matron" and is a diminutive form of the Russian female name "Matryona"
The first set was made in 1890 by Vasily Zvyozdochkin from a design by Sergey Malyutin. Most sets are depicted as Russian women in peasant dress.