russia
n. countablen. the largest country in the world, located in both Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is famous for its cold winters, long history, and rich culture.
n. a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest nation by land area and is historically significant as the successor state to the Soviet Union.
Russia is the largest country in the world.
Many travelers take the Trans-Siberian Railway to see the diverse landscapes across Russia.
Spanning eleven time zones, Russia possesses a vast array of geographical features ranging from arctic tundra to forested mountains and subtropical beaches.
First use appears c. the 1390s, from Medieval Latin Russia, from Old East Slavic Русь (Rusĭ) (whence Arabic رُوس (rūs) and Byzantine Greek Ῥῶς (Rhôs)), which originally referred to a group of Varangians who established themselves near Kiev in the 9th century and ruled Kievan Rus; probably from Proto-Finnic roocci, from Old East Norse roþs- (“related to rowing”); related to Old Norse Roþrslandi (“the land of rowing”), an older name of Roslagen, where the Finns first encountered the Swedes. Ultimately from Old Norse róðr (“steering oar”), from Proto-Germanic rōþrą (“rudder”), from Proto-Indo-European h₁reh₁- (“to row”). By surface analysis, Russ + -ia. Doublet of Rossiya.
Proper noun; usually used without an article unless referring to the 'Russian Federation'.