Godunov

American  

[god-n-awf, good-, guh-doo-nawf] / ˈgɒd nˌɔf, ˈgʊd-, gə duˈnɔf /

noun

1. Boris Fedorovich 1552–1605, regent of Russia 1584–98 and czar 1598–1605.

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Godunov British  

/ ɡəduˈnɔf, ˈɡɒdəˌnɒf, ˈɡʊd- /

noun

1. Boris Fyodorovich (baˈris ˈfjɔdərəvitʃ). ?1551–1605, Russian regent (1584–98) and tsar (1598–1605)

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Example Sentences

Unfortunately, sanitized politicians have this shortcoming—they are not quite as interesting on stage as Attila the Hun or Boris Godunov.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Written by Modest Mussorgsky, Russian bass and soprano Ildar Abdrazakov and Anna Denisova will play the main roles in "Boris Godunov".

From Reuters • Jun. 6, 2022

In the “Amen of the Consummation,” for instance, they whip up a frenzy of chiming, clanging bells to equal the splendor of the coronation scene of Boris Godunov.

From Washington Post • Jul. 7, 2016

Arthur Woodley offered a noble Bellini aria, and Peter Rose was an affecting Boris Godunov.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2014

Figure 1.58: Normally, a composer who wants to put more or fewer beats in a measure must change the time signature, as in this example from Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones