Belorussian, a. and n.
(bɛləʊˈrʌʃən)
Also Byelorussian (bjɛləʊ-).
[f. Russ. Belorussiya Belorussia, f. belo- white + Russia + -an.]
A. adj. Of or pertaining to Belorussia, one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union, its people or its language. B. n. = White Russian (see white a. 11 e).
| [1911 Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 884/2 The White Russians (the Byelorusses).] 1944 G. Vernadsky Hist. Russia i. 3 The Polish influence to which the Ukrainians and Byelo-Russians had been subjected for several centuries. Ibid. xvi. 319 Other Socialist Soviet republics were founded—the White Russian (Byelo-Russian) [etc.]. 1948 J. Towster Polit. Power in U.S.S.R. iv. 90 The Ukrainian and Belorussian Republics. 1949 Amer. Slavic & East Europ. Rev. VIII. 205 The Belorussians ‘borrowed’ many important characteristics..from the Slavs. 1950 Ibid. IX. 140 The absence of special contributions to..Byelorussian literature is an unfortunate omission. 1956 Archivum Linguisticum VIII. ii. 174 The same problem exists in..Belorussian. 1958 Economist 1 Nov. 424/2 General Uborevich, commander of the Byelorussian district. |