Etymology
() 1845, Russian Русь (Rus’) Old East Slavic Русь (Rus’), and Byzantine Greek οί Ῥῶς (oi Rhōs). The name comes from a group of warrior merchants from Sweden who settled around Kiev and the Dnieper river in the ninth century, and established the Rus principalities. Ultimate origin is uncertain; see Wikipedia's article on Etymology of Rus and derivatives for more detail. Compare English Russ (“Russian”), Russniak, Rusyn, Ruthenian. Also compare Swedish Ryss, Dutch Rus, German Russe, French Russe, Russian Русь (Rus’), Belarusian Русь (Rus’), Ukrainian Русь (Rus’). Also compare Russian русский (rússkij, “Ethnic Russian, of Rus”), россиянин (rossijánin, “Russian national”), Россия (Rossíja, “Russia”).