List of Serbo-Croatian words of Greek origin explained

Greek influence was widespread throughout the Balkans during the Middle Ages, influencing the languages within it, including Serbo-Croatian. Many words of Greek origin were borrowed from other languages, while most others came via contact with the Greeks. Some words are present and common in the modern vernaculars of Serbo-Croatian: hiljada (хиљада), tiganj (тигањ), patos (патос). Almost every word of the Serbian Orthodox ceremonies are of Greek origin: parastos (парастос).

Serbo-Croatian (L)Serbo-Croatian (C)Greek (L)GreekEnglish meaningNotes
afrodizijakафродизијакáfrodisiakósἀφροδισιακόςaphrodisiacAG
azotазотázōtosἀζωτοςNitrogenvia French ← Latin ← AG
(coined in French, based on AG) Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = dušik
barбарvarósβάροςbar (unit of pressure)AG
biberбиберpiperiáπιπεριάpeppervia Turkish; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = papar
crkvaцркваkyriakónκυριακόνchurchvia Proto-SlavicOld High German ← AG
cveklaцвеклаred beetProto-Slavic ← Medieval Greek ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = cikla
čempresчемпресkypárissosκυπάρισσοςcypressvia DalmatianLatin
ćuprijaћупријаgéfyraγέφυραbridgevia Turkish Synonym = most
delfinделфинdelphísδελφίςdolphinvia Latin ← AG
drumдрумdrómosδρόμοςroad Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = cesta; (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = put
dupinдупинdelphísδελφίςdolphinvia Dalmatian ← Latin ← AG
đakђакdiákosδιάκοςstudent, pupilvia Medieval Latin
đakonђаконdiákonosδιάκονοςdeaconvia Medieval Latin
đubreђубреkóprosκόπροςgarbage, trash; manure; bad and immoral personvia Ottoman Turkish ← AG Synonym (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = smeće
efendijaефендијаafthéntisαὐθέντηςeffendivia Ottoman Turkish
episkopепископépískoposἐπίσκοποςbishopAG Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = biskup
etikaетикаḗthikósἠθικόςethicsAG
etnikaетникаéthnikósἐθνικόςethnic group (people, nation)
fazanфазанphasianósφασιανόςpheasantvia German ← Latin ← AG
feniksфениксphoȋniksφοῖνιξphoenixAG
gitaraгитараkitháraκιθάρα guitarvia Spanish ← AG
gumaгумаkómmiκόμμιrubbervia Latin ← AG, originally Egyptian
haosхаосkháosχάοςchaosAG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = kaos
hartijaхартијаkhartíχαρτίSynonym (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = papir
hiljadaхиљадаkhiliásχιλιάς[a] thousand (1000)AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = tisuća
hlorхлорχλωρόςkhlōróschlorineAG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = klor
horхорkhorósχορόςchorus, choirSynonym (in Croatian dialects) = kor
idiotидиотidiṓtēsἰδιώτηςidiotvia Latin ← AG
ikonaиконаeikónaεικόναicon
ironijaиронијаeírōneíaειρωνείαironyAG
istorijaисторијаistoríaἱστορίαhistoryAG; Bosnian form of historija is derived from the Latin historia; in standard Croatian, historija denotes the academic study of history, while preferring povijest for history as a past reality. Ekavian form povest is seldom used in Serbia.
kadaкадаkádosκάδοςbathtubvia Latin ← AG
kalemкалемkálamosκάλαμοςreelvia Turkish ← Arabic ← AG
kaminкаминkáminosκάμινος hearth, fireplacevia Latin ← AG
keramikaкерамикаkeramikósκεραμικός ceramicsAG
kestenкестенkástanaκάστανα chestnutvia Turkish ← AG
kitкитkȇtosκῆτος Whale AG
klisuraклисураkleisoúra κλεισούραgorgeMedieval Greek
komadкомадkommátionκομμάτιονpiece, part, parcel, fragmentAG
kopitoкопитоkoptohoof
kredaкредаKrḗtēΚρήτη chalk, Cretaceousvia Latin ← AG
krevetкрeветkreváti (MG) / krábbatos (AG)κρεβάτι (MG) / κράββατος (AG)bedvia Ottoman Turkish ← MG ← AG
kutijaкутијаkoutíκουτίboxvia Ottoman Turkish ← AG
livadaливадаlivádiλιβάδιmeadowMG
manaманаmánnaμάνναmannavia Latin ← AG, originally Hebrew
manastirманастирmonastḗrionμοναστήριονmonastery, cloistervia Latin ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = samostan
melodijaмелодијаmelōidíaμελῳδίαmelodyvia Latin ← AG
mirisмирисmýronμύρον smellAG
mirodijaмиродијаmyrodiáμυρωδιάaromatic spiceMG
mitмитmŷthosμῦθοςmythAG
muzejмузејΜουσεῖονMouseîonmuseumvia Latin ← AG
naftaнафтаnáphthaνάφθαpetroleum, diesel fuel (slang)via Latin ← AG
okeanокеанṓkeanósὠκεανόςoceanvia Latin ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = ocean
orgazamоргазамorgasmósοργασμόςorgasmvia Latin ← AG
orgijaоргијаórgiaὄργιαorgyAG
papaпапаpapásπαπάςPopevia Latin ← AG
patosпатосpátosπάτοςfloorAG; Synonym (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = pod
pâtosпа̂тосpáthosπάθοςpathosAG
paranojaпаранојаparánoiaπαράνοιαparanoiavia Neo-Latin ← AG
parastosпарастосparástasisπαράστασιςdirge
pasuljпасуљfasóli (MG) / phásēlos (AG) φασόλι (MG) / φάσηλος (AG)beanvia Hungarian ← MG ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = grah
pauzaпаузаpaûsisπαῦσιςpausevia German ← Latin ← AG
pitaпитаpítaπίταpie, pitavia Turkish ← Medieval Greek
plastikaпластикаplastikósπλαστικόςplasticvia Latin
pleromaплеромаplḗrōmaπλήρωμαPleromaAG
popпопpapásπαπάςpriestvia Proto-Slavic ← Old German German ← AG
praksaпраксаprȃksisπρᾶξιςusage, use, practice, professionAG
putirпутирpotḗrποτήρchaliceAG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = kalež
sferaсфераsphaĩraσφαῖραsphereAG
sidroсидроsídirosσίδηροςanchor
sistemсистемsýstemaσύστημαsystemAG
skandalскандалskándalonσκάνδαλονscandalvia German ← Latin ← AG
stadionстадионstádionστάδιονstadium, stadionAG
subotaсуботаsávvatonσάββατονSaturdayvia Latin ← AG, originally Hebrew
sulundarсулундарsōlēnárionσωληνάριονstove-pipevia Turkish ← MG ← AG
talasталасthálassaθάλασσαwind wavevia Turkish ← AG; Synonym (in western Serbo-Croatian dialects) = val
talenatталенатtálantonτάλαντονtalentAG;
tehnikaтехникаtekhnikósτεχνικόςtechnique, technologyAG
tiganjтигањtigániτηγάνιpan (saucepan)via Turkish
tipтипtýposτύποςtypeAG

See also

References