Малороссия

Russian

Etymology

Originally Малая Россия (Malaja Rossija), itself a Calque of Ancient Greek Μικρὰ Ῥωσσίᾱ (Mikrà Rhōssíā), attested since 1292. Coined by the Patriarch of Constantinople to differentiate it from "Great Russia" (Μεγάλη Ῥωσσίᾱ). Can be analysed as ма́лый (mályj, “small”) +‎ -о- (-o-) +‎ Ро́ссия (Róssija, “Rus, Russia”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [məɫɐˈrosʲːɪjə]

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Малоро́ссия • (Maloróssija) f inan (genitive Малоро́ссии, relational adjective малоросси́йский)

1. (historical) Little Russia
2. (dated, now considered offensive) Ukraine

Usage notes

Now considered offensive in Ukraine, as it was associated with Tsarist rule. The terms малорос (maloros) and малоросійство (malorosijstvo) refers to Ukrainians who are too loyal to Russia instead of their own nation.

Declension

Declension of Малоро́ссия (inan sg-only fem-form i-stem accent-a) 

	singular
nominative	Малоро́ссия Maloróssija
genitive	Малоро́ссии Maloróssii
dative	Малоро́ссии Maloróssii
accusative	Малоро́ссию Maloróssiju
instrumental	Малоро́ссией, Малоро́ссиею Maloróssijej, Maloróssijeju
prepositional	Малоро́ссии Maloróssii

Synonyms

• Ма́лая Ру́сь (Málaja Rúsʹ), Ма́лая Росси́я (Málaja Rossíja), Малору́ссия (Malorússija)

Derived terms

• малоро́с (malorós)
• малороссия́нин (malorossijánin), малоросси́ец (malorossíjec), малороссия́нец (malorossijánec)

See also

• Росси́я (Rossíja)