Russian

noun

Rus·​sian ˈrə-shən How to pronounce Russian (audio)
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 noun

Examples of Russian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On the one hand, as Tevye is fond of saying, the story unfolds in a hardscrabble shtetl in the Ukrainian plains in the months leading up to the Russian Empire’s abortive 1905 revolution. David Lyman, The Enquirer, 25 July 2025 Fluent in Spanish, English, German and Russian, Ortiz settled in Germany after his discharge and began a relationship with German doctor Irina Trippel. Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025 On 12th July, Russian launched 26 Kh-101 cruise missiles at Ukraine, along with a number of other missiles and hundreds of drones. David Hambling, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 The bans on the Russian language and Russian Orthodox Church must be lifted. John Seiler, Oc Register, 21 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for Russian

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Russian was in 1538

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Russian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Russian. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

Russian

noun
Rus·​sian ˈrəsh-ən How to pronounce Russian (audio)
1
: a person born or living in Russia
2
: a Slavic language of the Russian people
Russian adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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