Russian

American  

[ruhsh-uhn] / ˈrʌʃ ən /

adjective

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

---

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

---

adjective

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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Appeared in the November 14, 2025, print edition as 'Russian Students Schooled on War'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

"We're all used to this label 'Russian art', but there is so much more beneath it."

From Reuters • Feb. 23, 2023

“You always hear, ‘Russian machine never breaks,’ ” McMichael said Tuesday.

From Washington Post • Apr. 26, 2022

He writes: “Like its peers, ‘Russian Doll’ resolves on the necessity of human connection, a familiar homily, but it’s too inventive and irascible to feel pat.

From New York Times • Feb. 15, 2019

The letter will be examined, of course, by the proper authorities, but I was not a little interested to perceive that the envelope bore the Russian imperial arms above the words 'Russian Embassy.'

From Martin Hewitt, Investigator by Morrison, Arthur