The Cyrillic Alphabet

Cyrillic Alphabet, alphabet developed in the 9th century for the use of Eastern Orthodox Slavs. It was based on Greek characters, and with modifications it constitutes the present Russian, Ukrainian, White Russian, Serbian, and Bulgarian alphabets. Although it was traditionally ascribed to St. Cyril, scholars now believe that the Cyrillic alphabet was devised by one of Cyril's followers. It is related to the Glagolitic alphabet (also attributed to St. Cyril) used by Roman Catholic Slavs until the 17th century and surviving today only in the Slavonic liturgy of some Roman Catholic communities in the Balkan Peninsula. See Alphabet.

"Cyrillic Alphabet," Microsoft (R) Encarta. Copyright (c) 1993 Microsoft Corporation. Copyright (c) 1993 Funk & Wagnall's Corporation