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Glite Dictionary
Ivan IV Vasilievich

Ivan IV Vasilievich

8.3
The first ruler of Russia to take the title czar, ruling from 1547 to 1584
  • proper noun
: Iván IV Vasilievich
  • Many historians still debate the legacy of Ivan IV Vasilievich, whose rule was marked by both innovation and brutality.

Examples

  • The reign of Ivan IV Vasilievich was marked by significant territorial expansion.

  • Ivan IV Vasilievich was the first czar of Russia, ruling from 1547 to 1584, and is often referred to as Ivan the Terrible.

  • Ivan IV Vasilievich established a centralized Russian state and expanded its territory significantly.

  • The reign of Ivan IV Vasilievich is often remembered for his introduction of autocracy to Russia.

  • Did Ivan IV Vasilievich really earn the nickname 'Ivan the Terrible'?

  • In his quest for power, Ivan IV Vasilievich implemented sweeping reforms that laid the groundwork for the modern Russian state.

  • Ivan IV Vasilievich is infamous for his ruthless approach to governance, which led to his historical portrayal as a tyrant.

Synonyms

Ivan the Terrible
vsIvan IV Vasilievich
6 8.4

The first ruler of Russia known for making the government strong and being cruel

has the same identity but uses the full formal name
Ivan IV
vsIvan IV Vasilievich
1 9.1

A Russian ruler of the 1500s who was the first to be called tsar and acted cruelly

has the same identity but uses the full formal name

Surface Forms

Ivan IV Vasilievich main

Morphology

Ivan + IV + Vasilievich

The components give partial clues: 'IV' signals a regnal/ordinal number (the fourth) and 'Vasilievich' is a Slavic patronymic ('son of Vasiliy'), so a B1 learner who knows the pieces can infer this is a historical person called Ivan the Fourth. However, the full encyclopedic identity—being the first czar of Russia known as Ivan the Terrible and the specific dates and actions of his reign—is not derivable from the constituents alone, so the expression is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Ivan IV Vasilievich tells you three simple things: Ivan is his name, IV means 'fourth', and Vasilievich means 'son of Vasili'. So the full name points to the specific Russian ruler who is the czar known as 'Ivan the Terrible'.