Peter the Great

Cultural  

1. A Russian czar of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries who tried to transform Russia from a backward nation into a progressive one by introducing customs and ideas from western European countries. He moved the capital of Russia from Moscow to a new city he had built, St. Petersburg, which was renamed Leningrad after the Russian Revolution and has since had its old name restored due to the collapse of communism.

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Example Sentences

An old Kremlin joke about Vladimir Putin is that the Russian president has only three trusted advisers: Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great and Catherine the Great.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

He has inhaled from somewhere — certainly not from studying history — an immensely dumbed-down version of the philosophy that he imagines drove Napoleon and Hitler, and perhaps Alexander the Great and Peter the Great.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2025

The remake of a popular old Soviet-era film features Kirkorov as Peter the Great and the TV channel director has said some of the scenes are being re-shot before it airs.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2023

TALLINN, Estonia — Vladimir Putin has compared himself to the czar Peter the Great.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 17, 2023

Originally created in Prussia and gifted to Peter the Great, the Amber Room was a glittering chamber of amber, jewels, gold, and mirrors.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys