What does tsarina mean?
A tsarina is a Russian empress, historically either the wife of a tsar or, more broadly, a female ruler of Russia. The word is the feminine counterpart of tsar and was used for the wife of the Russian monarch, as well as for a woman holding the throne in her own right. It is chiefly historical and literary rather than a term used for a present-day ruler. The best-known bearer of the title was Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II and the last tsarina. Tsarina can suggest the grandeur and ceremony of the Russian imperial court, but in modern historical writing it may also evoke the political confinement and tragedy surrounding the monarchy’s collapse in 1917. The alternative spelling czarina is also established, so the two forms should be understood as stylistic variants rather than words with different meanings.
nounA Russian empress; historically, the wife of a tsar or the female ruler of Russia. The title was used until the Russian monarchy was overthrown in 1917.
- The wife of a Russian tsar, equivalently a Russian empress.
- A female ruler of Russia.
"Queen Victoria corresponded with the tsarina of Russia during the Crimean War."
"The tsarina welcomed the foreign dignitaries to the imperial court."
"Historical novels often portray the tsarina as a powerful but constrained figure."
The plural tsarinas refers to multiple Russian empresses or women holding the title.
"Two tsarinas are portrayed in the novel."
The title ended with Russia's monarchy in 1917, but Alexandra Feodorovna remains the tsarina most people remember.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tsarina come from?
Tsarina comes from Russian tsarina, literally the feminine form of tsar, with the suffix -ina. Tsar itself was borrowed into English from Russian and ultimately derives through Slavic languages from Latin Caesar. The related English forms tsar, czar, and czarina reflect the same Russian imperial tradition, while czarina is an established alternative spelling of tsarina.
Related word forms
How tsarina is actually used
The word is chiefly historical or literary. It is encountered much less often than the masculine title tsar and is normally associated with imperial Russia before 1917.
Easily confused with tsarina
Tsarina and czarina are alternative English spellings of the same Russian title and have the same meaning.