снисхождение

Noun

 * 1) indulgence, leniency
 * 2) condescension

Usage notes

 * In English, "condescending" previously could be used non-pejoratively to describe someone who socialized in a friendly way with their social inferiors. As the concept of "social inferiors" disappeared, today this meaning is archaic and obsolete, and "condescending" in modern English is only pejorative, meaning "arrogant, patronizing." In modern Russian, however, the more positive meaning is retained, and while "снисходительный" can potentially imply arrogance, it can also still be used to mean someone who is tolerant or lenient towards those under their supervision.