Russian words have entered the English language from various periods of Russian history: the Russian Empire period ("troika", "tsar") and the Soviet period ("soviet", "cosmonaut").
| Word | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| balalaika | Russian stringed instrument. | |
| bistro | fast | Small bar or restaurant. |
| cosmonaut | Russian astronaut. | |
| dacha | villa | |
| intelligentsia | Class of intellectuals. | |
| mammoth | Large extinct wooly relation to elephant. | |
| pogrom | destroy | Organised racial killing spree. |
| rouble | Russian currency. | |
| samovar | self boil | |
| soviet | council | As in 'Soviet Union', an old name for Russia. |
| steppe | Treeless grassy plain. | |
| troika | three | Russian vehicle drawn by three horses. |
| tsar | The king of Russia. Same root as 'Caesar'. | |
| vodka | little water | Russian drink. |
