Russian

noun

Rus·​sian ˈrə-shən 

1

a

: a native or inhabitant of Russia

b

: a member of the dominant Slavic-speaking ethnic group of Russia

c

: a person of Russian descent

2

: a Slavic language of the Russian people spoken as a second language by many non-Russian ethnic groups of the Soviet Union and its successor states

Russian adjective

Russianness

ˈrə-shən-nəs 

noun

Examples of Russian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This comes against the backdrop of an unresolved territorial dispute with Japan over a group of islets in the Russian Far East. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025

During a visit to Pyongyang, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said that North Korea will dispatch 1,000 deminers as well as 5,000 military construction workers to the Kursk region, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. —Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025

Sonoma-Cutrer Rosé of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma. —Lana Bortolot, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025

In 1915, Nicholas granted Olga and her children by Paul the titles of Princess and Prince Paley. World War I, the fall of the Romanov dynasty and the Russian Revolution The Paley family arrived in Russia at a critical time for the waning empire. —Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing Russian

• anti-Russian
• Great Russian
• non-Russian
• Russian blue
• Russian dressing
• Russian olive
• Russian roulette
• Russian sage
• Russian thistle
• Russian wolfhound
• White Russian

Rhymes for Russian

• kushan
• belorussian
• repercussion
• byelorussian
• concussion
• discussion
• percussion

Kids Definition

Russian

noun

Rus·​sian ˈrəsh-ən 

1

: a person born or living in Russia

2

: a Slavic language of the Russian people

Russian adjective