A people made up of Scandinavian warrior merchants who travelled Eastern European river-roads from the eighth century, and whose settlements around Novgorod, Kiev and the Volga and Dnieper gave rise to the Russian principalities.
The medieval East Slavic state established by these same warrior merchants in the 9th century, whose capital was first in Novgorod and then in Kiev; Kievan Rus.
Any of the medieval East Slavic principalities ruled by this class, especially Kievan Rus.
The nation of Russia, especially in a transcendent or romantic sense referring to the history and culture of the country.
Earlier form Russ from German Russe etc., from Old East Slavic Русь. More recent use influenced by Russian Русь, from Old East Slavic Русь. Use with macron was probably influenced by the transliteration of Arabic رُوس.
Also compare Swedish Ryss, Dutch Rus, German Russe, French Russe, Byzantine Greek Ῥῶς, Russian Русь, Belarusian Русь, Ukrainian Русь. Also compare Russian ру́сский ("Ethnic Russian, of Rus"), россия́нин, Росси́я.
See further Etymology of Rus and derivatives.
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