רוסי

Hebrew

Adjective

רוּסִי • (rusí) (feminine רוּסִית, masculine plural רוּסִיִּים or רוסים, feminine plural רוּסִיּוֹת)

1. Russian: of or pertaining to Russia.
2. (Israel, dated, possibly offensive) of or pertaining to any of the former U.S.S.R. countries.

Noun

רוּסִי • (rusí) m (plural indefinite רוּסִים)

1. A (male) Russian: a (male) person from Russia.
2. (Israel, possibly offensive) a (male) Jew with a background in any of the former U.S.S.R. countries.

Usage notes

• In Israel, the term is often used in reference to Jewish people of not just Russian background, but also Ukrainian, Uzbekistani, or from any other former U.S.S.R. country. It is slowly falling into disuse due to the increased assimilation of Jews from the former U.S.S.R. into mainstream Israeli society, as well as the perceived cultural chauvinism associated with implicitly labelling all of the former U.S.S.R. as "Russia".