The former English name for the Eastern European country now officially known as Belarus.
From Russian 'Belorussia,' combining 'belo' (white) and 'Rus' (referring to the ancient Rus peoples). The 'bye-' spelling was a transliteration choice in English that is now considered outdated.
The name 'White Rus' is debated by historians—some think it refers to the white-clothed nobility, others to light-skinned people, and some believe it simply meant 'free' Rus territory. What's certain is that changing from 'Byelorussia' to 'Belarus' in 1991 marked the country's independence.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.