List of Serbo-Croatian words of Greek origin

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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
afrodizijakафродизијакáfrodisiakósἀφροδισιακός aphrodisiac AG
azotазотázōtosἀζωτος Nitrogen via French ← Latin ← AG
(coined in French, based on AG) Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = dušik
barбарvarósβάρος bar (unit of pressure)AG
biberбиберpiperiáπιπεριά pepper via Turkish; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = papar
crkvaцркваkyriakónκυριακόν church via Proto-Slavic ← Old High German ← AG
cveklaцвекла red beet Proto-Slavic ← Medieval Greek ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = cikla
čempresчемпресkypárissosκυπάρισσος cypress via Dalmatian ← Latin
ćuprijaћупријаgéfyraγέφυρα bridge via Turkish Synonym = most
delfinделфинdelphísδελφίς dolphin via Latin ← AG
drumдрумdrómosδρόμος road Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = cesta; (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = put
dupinдупинdelphísδελφίς dolphin via Dalmatian ← Latin ← AG
đakђакdiákosδιάκος student, pupilvia Medieval Latin
đakonђаконdiákonosδιάκονος deacon via Medieval Latin
đubreђубреkóprosκόπρος garbage, trash; manure; bad and immoral personvia Ottoman Turkish ← AG Synonym (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = smeće
efendijaефендијаafthéntisαὐθέντης effendi via Ottoman Turkish
episkopепископépískoposἐπίσκοπος bishop AG Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = biskup
etikaетикаḗthikósἠθικός ethics AG
etnikaетникаéthnikósἐθνικός ethnic group (people, nation)
fazanфазанphasianósφασιανός pheasant via German ← Latin ← AG
feniksфениксphoȋniksφοῖνιξ phoenix AG
gitaraгитараkitháraκιθάρα guitar via Spanish ← AG
gumaгумаkómmiκόμμι rubber via Latin ← AG, originally Egyptian
haosхаосkháosχάος chaos AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = kaos
hartijaхартијаkhartíχαρτί paper Synonym (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = papir
hiljadaхиљадаkhiliásχιλιάς[a] thousand (1000)AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = tisuća
hlorхлорχλωρόςkhlōrós chlorine AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = klor
horхорkhorósχορός chorus, choir Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = kor
idiotидиотidiṓtēsἰδιώτης idiot via Latin ← AG
ikonaиконаeikónaεικόνα icon
ironijaиронијаeírōneíaειρωνεία irony AG
istorijaисторијаistoríaἱστορία history AG; 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.
kadaкадаkádosκάδος bathtub via Latin ← AG
kalemкалемkálamosκάλαμος reel via Turkish ← Arabic ← AG
kaminкаминkáminosκάμινος hearth, fireplace via Latin ← AG
keramikaкерамикаkeramikósκεραμικός ceramics AG
kestenкестенkástanaκάστανα chestnut via Turkish ← AG
kitкитkȇtosκῆτοςWhaleAG
klisuraклисураkleisoúraκλεισούρα gorge Medieval Greek
komadкомадkommátionκομμάτιον piece, part, parcel, fragment AG
kopitoкопитоkopto hoof
kredaкредаKrḗtēΚρήτη chalk, Cretaceous via Latin ← AG
krevetкрeветkreváti (MG) / krábbatos (AG)κρεβάτι (MG) / κράββατος (AG) bed via Ottoman Turkish ← MG ← AG
kutijaкутијаkoutíκουτί box via Ottoman Turkish ← AG
livadaливадаlivádiλιβάδι meadow MG
manaманаmánnaμάννα manna via Latin ← AG, originally Hebrew
manastirманастирmonastḗrionμοναστήριον monastery, cloister via Latin ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = samostan
melodijaмелодијаmelōidíaμελῳδία melody via Latin ← AG
mirisмирисmýronμύρον smell AG
mirodijaмиродијаmyrodiáμυρωδιάaromatic spice MG
mitмитmŷthosμῦθοςmythAG
muzejмузејΜουσεῖονMouseîon museum via Latin ← AG
naftaнафтаnáphthaνάφθα petroleum, diesel fuel (slang)via Latin ← AG
okeanокеанṓkeanósὠκεανός ocean via Latin ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = ocean
orgazamоргазамorgasmósοργασμός orgasm via Latin ← AG
orgijaоргијаórgiaὄργια orgy AG
papaпапаpapásπαπάς Pope via Latin ← AG
patosпатосpátosπάτος floor AG; Synonym (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = pod
pâtosпа̂тосpáthosπάθος pathos AG
paranojaпаранојаparánoiaπαράνοια paranoia via Neo-Latin ← AG
parastosпарастосparástasisπαράστασις dirge
pasuljпасуљfasóli (MG) / phásēlos (AG)φασόλι (MG) / φάσηλος (AG) bean via Hungarian ← MG ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = grah
pauzaпаузаpaûsisπαῦσις pause via German ← Latin ← AG
pitaпитаpítaπίτα pie, pita via Turkish ← Medieval Greek
plastikaпластикаplastikósπλαστικός plastic via Latin
pleromaплеромаplḗrōmaπλήρωμα Pleroma AG
popпопpapásπαπάς priest via Proto-Slavic ← Old German German ← AG
praksaпраксаprȃksisπρᾶξιςusage, use, practice, professionAG
putirпутирpotḗrποτήρ chalice AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = kalež
sferaсфераsphaĩraσφαῖρα sphere AG
sidroсидроsídirosσίδηρος anchor
sistemсистемsýstemaσύστημα system AG
skandalскандалskándalonσκάνδαλον scandal via German ← Latin ← AG
stadionстадионstádionστάδιον stadium, stadion AG
subotaсуботаsávvatonσάββατον Saturday via Latin ← AG, originally Hebrew
sulundarсулундарsōlēnárionσωληνάριονstove-pipevia Turkish ← MG ← AG
talasталасthálassaθάλασσα wind wave via Turkish ← AG; Synonym (in western Serbo-Croatian dialects) = val
talenatталенатtálantonτάλαντον talent AG;
tehnikaтехникаtekhnikósτεχνικός technique, technology AG
tiganjтигањtigániτηγάνι pan (saucepan)via Turkish
tipтипtýposτύποςtypeAG

See also

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