Etymology Explorer › Russian

Where does “ру́сский” come from?

ру́сский (Russian) comes from Old East Slavic русьскъ, from Old East Slavic Русь, from Finnish ruotsi, from Proto-Finnic *roocci, from Old Swedish roþs-, from Old Norse róðr, from Proto-Germanic rōþrą, from Proto-Indo-European h₁reh₁- — to row; to separate; loose, sparse, rare.

ру́сский (Russian): Ethnic Russian, of Rus; Russian

Definitions

  1. Ethnic Russian, of Rus; Russian

Ancestry of “ру́сский”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old East SlavicрусьскъRusian
2Old East SlavicРусьRus; Ruthenia
3FinnishruotsiSwedish
4Proto-Finnic*roocci—
5Old Swedishroþs-related to rowing
6Old Norseróðr—
7Proto-Germanicrōþrąoar; rudder
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁reh₁-to row; to separate; loose, sparse, rare

Words derived from “ру́сский”

  • Rusky
  • по-русски
  • русскость
  • ruszki
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁reh₁- →