starye

Starye is the transliteration of the Russian word старые, the plural form of the adjective старый, meaning "old" or "aged." It is used to describe plural nouns and agrees in gender, number, and case with the nouns it modifies. For example, старые дома means "old houses." In Russian grammar, старые can describe objects, people, or concepts that are old in age, antiquated, or longstanding.

Etymology and cognates: старые derives from Proto-Slavic *starъ, the ancestor of the Slavic word for old. Related forms appear across Slavic languages, such as Polish stary, Czech and Slovak starý, and Ukrainian staryi, reflecting a common root for the concept of age.

Usage in toponymy: In Slavic-language place names, elements meaning "old" frequently appear as prefixes or descriptors, signaling an older settlement or a recognizable older part of a town or village. In this context, starye often operates as part of a geographical name, paired with a following noun such as selo (village) or gorod (city), rather than as a standalone proper name.

Modern usage: Starye appears in everyday language to distinguish objects or places that are not new. It is used in a variety of registers, from descriptive writing to spoken speech. The corresponding forms старый (masculine singular), старая (feminine singular), старое (neuter singular) complete the full gender-number paradigm of the adjective.

See also: старый, старость, old in Slavic languages, toponymic conventions in Slavic naming.