Great Russia (
Russian ????????????, Velikorossiya) is an obsolete name formerly applied to the territories of "Russia proper", the land that formed the core of
Muscovy and, later,
Russia. The name is said to have come from the
Greek Makra Rosia (?a??? ??s?a) used by
Byzantines for the northern part of the lands of
Rus'.
Later, Russian Tsars adopted the word - their official title included the wording (literal translation) "The Sovereign of all Rus' the Great, the Little, and the White".
Similarly, the terms Great Russian language (????????????? ????, Velikorusskiy yazyk) and Great Russians (???????????, Velikorossy), have fallen out of use.
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