Russian

American  

[ruhsh-uhn] / ˈrʌʃ ən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Russia, its people, or their language.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Russia.

2. a member of a Slavic people, the dominant ethnic group in the Russian Federation, whose historical homeland lies along the upper Volga and Oka rivers and adjacent areas.

3. the Slavic language of this people, written in the Cyrillic alphabet: the official language of Russia or the Russian Federation. Russ, Russ.

4. Informal. Russian dressing.

Russian British  

/ ˈrʌʃən /

noun

1. the official language of Russia: an Indo-European language belonging to the East Slavonic branch

2. the official language of the former Soviet Union

3. a native or inhabitant of Russia

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Russia, its people, or their language

Other Word Forms

• anti-Russian adjective
• half-Russian adjective
• non-Russian adjective
• pro-Russian adjective
• pseudo-Russian adjective
• semi-Russian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Russian

First recorded in 1530–40; from Medieval Latin Russiānus, derivative of Russia, Latinization of Old East Slavic Rusĭ; see origin at Russ, Russia, -an

Example Sentences

Araghchi on Monday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who praised Iran’s resistance amid the U.S. and Israeli military campaign, and pledged Moscow’s help in resolving the conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

In a statement, Ukraine's military confirmed it had again hit the Tuapse refinery, as part of concerted efforts to "reduce the military-economic potential of the Russian aggressor".

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

No construction dates have yet been announced, but the project is considered of major importance to Bosnia, which would be affected by the EU's ban on Russian gas imports set to take effect in 2027.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov have unveiled a memorial in Pyongyang for North Koreans who have died fighting in the Ukraine war.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

This was how “one, two, three” sounded in Russian.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood