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.
Gloria Sanchez Productions is also behind the project; Flora Birnbaum (Russian Doll, Impeachment: American Crime Story) and Sam Sackeroff will adapt the novel. Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025 Before the meeting, Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund who the Kremlin said might be in attendance, discussed the importance of the talks. Landon Mion, Fox News, 18 Feb. 2025 Newsweek reached out to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for comment via email. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025 Puppets have been a part of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, at least since the city rivaled St. Petersburg as a center of culture and higher education during the Russian Empire. Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Feb. 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

Dictionary Entries Near Russian

Cite this Entry

“Russian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Russian. Accessed 22 Feb. 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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