Croatian

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. A person from Croatia or a citizen of that country
2. Relating to the culture, language, or history of Croatia and its people
3. Describing elements originating from or associated with the nation of Croatia

Etymology: "Croatian" is a plain formation: "Croat" plus the English suffix "-ian", or alternatively "Croatia" plus "-an", both of which add the sense of belonging to or relating to. The base "Croat" comes from Latin "Croatus", which in turn reflects the name of the Croats, the South Slavic people who settled the region. The suffix "-ian" is the same one found in words such as "Italian" and "Parisian," so the adjective follows a familiar pattern for naming peoples and places. The name "Croatia" itself entered English through Latin and related forms of the Slavic name, which is why the adjective can be built on either base. Both routes lead to the same meaning: a thing associated with the nation or its people, whether that is a language, a cuisine, or a citizen.

Synonyms: Croat