Moscow
/ˈmɒs.koʊ/noun
The capital city of Russia and, by extension, its surrounding region.
Did you know?The city’s name is traditionally traced to the Moskva River, and the river name itself is older and obscure enough that scholars still debate whether it came from a Finno-Ugric or Baltic source.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-12th century
Old East Slavic
Москъва / Moskva
“The river name associated with the settlement area”
12th Century
Old East Slavic
Москва
“The emerging settlement named after the Moskva River”
14th-15th Century
Medieval Latin
Moscovia
“Muscovy; the principality centered on Moscow”
16th Century
French
Moscou
“Moscow”
Modern English
English
Moscow
“The capital city of Russia”