A cosmonaut is a person trained and certified by the Russian Space Agency to work in space. The term "cosmonaut" is the Soviet/Russian term for astronaut, and the two words are synonymous. The difference between the two terms is one of respect, as the Russians have a long history of human spaceflight and hold many records in space exploration. Although the term "astronaut" technically applies to all human space travelers regardless of nationality, astronauts fielded by Russia or the Soviet Union are typically known instead as cosmonauts. The word "cosmonaut" is an Anglicization of "kosmonavt," which means "space" in Russian.