russ
sooty-black
A rare, outdated, or poetic term for the color black, similar to the color of soot.
EXAMPLE
Die Nacht war russ und ohne Sterne.
The night was sooty-black and starless.
der Russ
sooty-black
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'russ' (sooty-black) is derived directly from the noun 'der Ruß' (soot). Ruß refers to the black particles produced during combustion, for example in a fireplace. So the color is 'schwarz wie Ruß' (black as soot).
EXAMPLE
Der Rauch stieg russ und dicht aus dem Schornstein.
The smoke rose sooty-black and thick from the chimney.
Register and style
This word belongs to poetic or elevated language and is very rare. It is not used in normal everyday speech to describe the color black.
EXAMPLE
Unter dem russen Himmel wirkte die Landschaft unheimlich.
Under the sooty-black sky, the landscape seemed eerie.
Typical combinations
Because of its poetic character, 'russ' (sooty-black) is used almost exclusively with nouns such as 'Nacht' (night), 'Himmel' (sky), 'Rauch' (smoke), or 'Schatten' (shadow).
EXAMPLE
Die Wolken waren russ und kündigten ein Gewitter an.
The clouds were sooty-black and announced a thunderstorm.
Compare with
Russ vs schwarz
black
Schwarz and der Russ can both refer to the darkest color. Schwarz is the neutral term commonly used in everyday language today, while der Russ sounds rare, outdated, or poetic. Use schwarz in normal conversations and der Russ only when a particular linguistic coloring is intended.
Russ
Im Gedicht lag über dem Bild ein tiefer Russ.
In the poem, a deep sooty black lay over the image.
schwarz
Der Künstler malte den Rahmen schwarz.
The artist painted the frame black.
In real life
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