Ruthenia

Meaning

Proper Noun

• The territory between Central and Eastern Europe inhabited by Rusyns, on the slopes of the Carpathian Mountains in parts of Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia.
• Lands inhabited by Ukrainians (Ruthenians) of the former Austrian Empire kingdom of Galicia (1772–1918), corresponding to parts of Western Ukraine.
• Western portions of East Slavic lands, including the principalities of Galicia-Volhynia and Kyiv, which united with Lithuania and Poland (14th c–1772), corresponding to what is now Ukraine and Belarus.
• Rus, an East Slavic medieval state (880–12th c), corresponding to what is now Ukraine and Belarus, as well as western Russia.

Related

Similar words

• Carpathian Ruthenia, Transcarpathia, Subcarpathian Rus
• Red Ruthenia
• Galicia-Volhynia
• Kievan Rus, Kievan Russia

Origin

• Related to Ruthene, Ruthenian, Ruthenic, from Medieval Latin Rutheni, Ruteni, related to Russi, Ruzi as Prutheni, Pruteni is to Prussi, Pruzi. Compare Rus, Russ, from Old East Slavic Русь, compare Byzantine Greek Ῥῶς.