Bosnians

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. Natives or inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country in southeastern Europe, or people of that ethnic heritage
2. People who come from or belong to the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Balkans region of Europe
3. Citizens and residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Balkan nation whose people share a common national identity

Etymology: "Bosnians" is simply the plural of "Bosnian," the noun and adjective for a person or thing from Bosnia. The adjective is built from the country's name plus the suffix "-an," a familiar ending in English words such as "Victorian" and "Lutheran." That suffix has a long pedigree: it descends from a Proto-Italic ending "-ānos," passed into Latin as "-ānus," and reached English by way of Old French and Middle English before settling into its present form. The result is a plain formation with no hidden story. The name "Bosnia" is the older element here, and the "-ian" form simply attaches to it to name the people and things associated with that country.