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Great Russia (Russian: Великороссия, 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 (Μακρά Ρωσία) 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 (Великорусский язык, Velikorusskiy yazyk) and Great Russians (Великороссы, Velikorossy), have fallen out of use.
See also
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