Peterburg

7.9

A large city in northwest Russia that used to be the capital

proper noun

: Petersburgo

Many tourists come to Peterburg to see the famous Hermitage Museum.

Examples

During my trip, I learned that Peterburg was once the capital of Russia.
My postal address is Russia One Saint Peterburg, Basanaya St.
I visited Peterburg to explore its beautiful canals and historic architecture.

Synonyms

Leningrad

vsPeterburg

27 5.8

Former name of Saint Petersburg from 1924 to 1991

is a non-Soviet alternative name rather than the Soviet-era name

St. Petersburg

vsPeterburg

5 2.7

A large city in northwest Russia by the Gulf of Finland that was once the capital

is a different alternative, not the abbreviated written form

Saint Petersburg

vsPeterburg

1 2.9

A large port city in northwestern Russia that was once the capital and is the country's second largest

is an alternative form rather than the full official name

Petrograd

vsPeterburg

1 9.3

A former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia, from 1914 to 1924

is a current alternative, not the historical wartime name

Surface Forms

Peterburg main

Morphology

Peterburg = Peter + burg (transparent) = Peter + burg

The place name is clearly analyzable as the proper name 'Peter' combined with the place-name element 'burg' meaning town, so the relation is obvious to learners.

Etymology

Peterburg comes from the name Peter and the part burg, which means 'fort' or 'town' and appears in city names like Hamburg or Pittsburgh. It was named by the Russian ruler Peter the Great, so Peterburg simply means 'Peter's town', which is why it refers to the city Saint Petersburg.