Balkans

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

Balkan peninsula (as defined by the Danube-Sava-Kupa line)

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Of Turkic origin; compare Turkish balkan (wooded mountain range).[1] Probably unrelated to balk (ridge of land).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈbɔːl.kənz/, /ˈbɒl.kənz/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈbɔl.kənz/, /ˈbɑl.kənz/

Proper noun[edit]

Balkans

  1. A geographical region in southeastern Europe, roughly equivalent to the area covered by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, sometimes including Romania, Slovenia, and European Turkey. [19th c.]
    • 2002, Dennis P. Hupchick, The Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism, page 104:
      As the Ottomans' victories in the Balkans multiplied, increasing numbers of Anatolian warriors flocked to their ranks, and their territorial conquests grew.
    • 2015, Anastas Vangeli, “On the Growing Cooperation Between China and the Western Balkans”, in Nikolaos Papakostas, Nikolaos Pasamitros, editors, An Agenda for the Western Balkans: From Elite Politics to Social Sustainability, Stuttgart, page 182:
      The Balkans is still comparatively less attractive than other post-communist countries in Europe [...]

Usage notes[edit]

  • Used with the definite article the and construed as a plural.

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Further reading[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024), “Balkans”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

German[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈbalkaːns/
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: Bal‧kans

Proper noun[edit]

Balkans

  1. genitive singular of Balkan

Swedish[edit]

Proper noun[edit]

Balkans

  1. genitive of Balkan

Anagrams[edit]