Ukraine

Pronunciation

• GenAm IPA: /juˈkɹeɪn/, /ˈjukɹeɪn/
• Rhymes: -eɪn

Alternative forms

• all obsolete: Ocraine; Ukrain; Ukrania, Ucrania

Origin

1688 Ucrania, Ukrain, Ukraine, Ukrania, 1762 Ocraine. Adaptation of Polish Ukraina, Russian Украи́на, or Ukrainian Украї́на, from the specific use, originally meaning “borderland”, “marches” or “insideland”. From Old East Slavic ѹкраина, from оу (u, "at") + краи ("edge"), or край ("land"). Details in Wikipedia: Name of Ukraine.

Full definition of Ukraine

Proper noun

1. A country in Eastern Europe; was long part of the Russian Empire, then of the Soviet Union. Official name: Ukraine.

Usage notes

Since the country's independence in 1991, style guides recommend Ukraine (as in "a musician from Ukraine"), without an article. Previously, the most common usage was the Ukraine (as in "a musician from the Ukraine").

Related terms

• Ukrainian
• Ukrainian SSR