Rus

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Rus^¹

/ɹuːs/
/ɹʌs/

Rhymes with -uːs, -ʌs

Where it comes from

Earlier form Russ from German Russe etc., from Old East Slavic Русь (Rusĭ). More recent use influenced by Russian Русь (Rusʹ), from Old East Slavic Русь (Rusĭ). Use with macron was probably influenced by the transliteration of Arabic رُوس (rūs).

Compare Russ, Russian, Russie, Russniak, Rusyn, Ruthenian.

Also compare Swedish Ryss, Dutch Rus, German Russe, French Russe, Medieval Greek Ῥῶς (Rhôs), Russian Русь (Rusʹ), Belarusian Русь (Rusʹ), Ukrainian Русь (Rusʹ). Also compare Russian ру́сский (rússkij, “Ethnic Russian, of Rus”), россия́нин (rossijánin, “Russian national”), Росси́я (Rossíja, “Russia”).

See further Etymology of Rus and derivatives.

proper noun Rus · Rus' · Rūs

countable, uncountable A people made up of Scandinavian warrior merchants who travelled Eastern European river-roads from the eighth century, and whose settlements around Novgorod, Kiev/Kyiv and the Volga and Dnieper/Dnipro gave rise to the Rus' principalities. In 860 the Rus’ streamed southwards and laid siege to Constantinople itself.
Similar: Varangians
countable, uncountable Kievan Rus, the medieval East Slavic state established by these same warrior merchants in the 9th century, whose capital was in Kiev.
Similar: Kievan Rus, Kievan Rus', Kyivan Rus, Kyivan Rus', Kiev, Kyiv
countable, uncountable Any of the medieval East Slavic principalities ruled by this class, especially Kievan Rus.
countable, poetic, uncountable The nation of Russia, especially in a transcendent or romantic sense referring to the history and culture of the country.

Similar: Rus' principalities

noun Rus · Rus' · Rūs

A person from Rus. And if a Rus hits a Greek, or a Greek a Rus with a sword, a spear or any other weapon, he shall pay five litres of silver for his offence, in accordance with Rus law; and if he be unable (insolvent—Author) his property shall be sold for the best price it fetches, including the very clothes . . .

RUS^²

proper noun

US, abbreviation, initialism Initialism of Rural Utilities Service

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: ruthenium, russia, russian, ukraine, sia, federation, rusty, saw, ross, hkg, rusyn, kievan rus, kievan rus', russias, rusian, kievan russia

proper noun

Similar: Rus' principalities

Translations

Every language

name any of the medieval East Slavic principalities

日本語	ルーシ Rūshi
中文	羅斯 /罗斯 Luósī
Português	Ruténia, Rutênia
Ελληνικά	Ρως Ros
Русский	Русь Rusʹ

name people

Español	Rus
한국어	루시 Rusi
日本語	ルーシ Rūshi
中文	羅斯 /罗斯 Luósī
Português	rus
Français	Rus', Rus
Deutsch	Rus
Ελληνικά	Ρως Ros
Русский	Русь Rusʹ, ру́сичи rúsiči, русь rusʹ
العربية	رُوس rūs
עברית	רוס rus

name medieval East Slavic state, usually or often with a qualifier "Kyiv", "Kievan"

Español	Rutenia
한국어	루시 Rusi, 루테니아 Rutenia
日本語	ルーシ Rūshi, ルテニア Rutenia
中文	羅斯 /罗斯 Luósī
हिन्दी	रूस rūs
Português	Ruténia, Rutênia
Français	Rus', Rous', Ruthénie
Deutsch	Rus, Ruthenien
Italiano	Rutenia, Rus'
Ελληνικά	Ρως Ros
Русский	Русь Rusʹ, Ру́сская земля́ Rússkaja zemljá, Руте́ния Ruténija
Tiếng Việt	Rus', Rus
العربية	رُوس rūs
עברית	רוּס rus

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"Rus." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/rus. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

Rus. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/rus

Chicago

"Rus." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/rus.

BibTeX

@misc{rus_2026,
  title = {Rus},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/rus},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}

Rus