russkiy

Russkiy is the standard transliteration of the Russian adjective русский, meaning "Russian." In Russian, the masculine nominative form is Русский; the feminine form is Русская, and the plural form is Русские. The transliterated form Russkiy (also written as russkiy, russkij, or Russkij depending on the transliteration system) is used in English-language texts to render Russian words in Latin script.

As a linguistic form, Russkiy denotes belonging or relation to Russia, and it can describe language, nationality, ethnicity, or culture. In English, however, the ordinary translation of Русский is usually "Russian." The transliterated Russkiy appears most often in scholarly work, glossaries, or in contexts where Cyrillic text is presented in Latin characters, such as quotations, language guides, or discussions of Russian grammar.

Etymology and forms: Russkiy derives from the ethnonym Rus' and the Slavic adjectival suffix -skiy, signaling relation to Rus' or to Russia. The gendered forms are Russkiy (masculine), Russkaya (feminine), and Russkiye (plural). Different transliteration schemes may render the same word as Russkij or Russkii, reflecting system choices rather than a change in meaning.

Usage note: In contemporary English writing, "Russian" is the standard term for the language, people, and culture. Russkiy is primarily a transliteration tool used to render Russian terms in non-Cyrillic text or in discussions of linguistic and philological topics.