Etymology of the ethnonyms Polovces and Pechenegs

The article is devoted to the analysis of the ethnonyms of the Pechenegs, Polovtsians and Kipchaks. Based on the analysis of historical information and geographical features of the settlement area, it was established that ethnonyms were originally demonyms. The names of the ancient peoples reflected the characteristics of the area and designated the Pechenegs as “meadow people”, the Polovtsians — inhabitants of the lowlands, the Kipchaks — people living among the hills. The ethnonym Pechenegs arose in the Turkic linguistic environment, the Cumans — in the Baltic language (on the basis of which the Russian language developed) and the Kipchaks — in the Mongolian language.