Russian
Americanadjective
noun
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a native or inhabitant of Russia.
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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.
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the Slavic language of this people, written in the Cyrillic alphabet: the official language of Russia or the Russian Federation. Russ, Russ.
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Informal. Russian dressing.
noun
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the official language of Russia: an Indo-European language belonging to the East Slavonic branch
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the official language of the former Soviet Union
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a native or inhabitant of Russia
adjective
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For refugees, many of whom support the Tuareg rebels, the withdrawal of Russian fighters from northern bases has raised hopes of returning home.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
The government bailed out Uniper in 2022 after the utility faced bankruptcy due to massive losses from Russian gas cuts.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Two of Rubén’s older sons, who married Russian acrobats during international stints, broke off and founded their own troupe as Circus Caballero.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Russian energy sales are the "most stable" part of a political, military and economic relationship that has blossomed between the two countries in recent years, Korolev said.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
The exact details of Oleg Penkovsky’s arrest are still hidden away in classified Russian files.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
