anti-russian
UK[ˌæntiˈrʌʃ(ə)n]US[ˌæntiˈrʌʃ(ə)n, ˌæntaɪ-]
adj
Opposed to, against, or hostile towards Russia, its government, policies, or people.
Morpheme Breakdown
anti
russian
anti
against
russian
of Russia
Etymology
The word is a modern English compound formed by directly combining the Greek-derived prefix anti- with the established adjective Russian. The prefix anti-, originating from the Greek preposition antí meaning "against," has been a productive element in English since the late 16th century for forming words denoting opposition. Russian itself derives from the medieval Latin Russi, referring to the people of Rus', with the suffix -ian forming the adjective. Therefore, anti-Russian follows a transparent and logical compounding pattern, literally constructing the meaning "opposed to that which pertains to Russia," reflecting geopolitical, ideological, or cultural opposition.
Analysis
Structure: anti (against) + russian (of Russia)
- anti: From Greek, via Latin and French. A prefix meaning "against," "opposite of," or "opposing."
- russian: From the proper noun Russia (the country) + the English adjectival suffix -ian, meaning "belonging to" or "relating to."
Examples
The newspaper was accused of publishing anti-Russian propaganda.
During the Cold War, anti-Russian sentiment was widespread in some Western countries.
The policy was criticized for its perceived anti-Russian bias.