Bulgarian

American  

[buhl-gair-ee-uhn, bool-] / bʌlˈgɛər i ən, bʊl- /

noun

1. Also Bulgar a native or inhabitant of Bulgaria.

2. a Slavic language, the language of Bulgaria. Bulg., Bulg

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adjective

1. of or relating to Bulgaria, its people, or their language.

bulgarian British  

/ bʊl-, bʌlˈɡɛərɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Bulgaria, its people, or their language

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noun

1. the official language of Bulgaria, belonging to the S Slavonic branch of the Indo-European family

2. a native, inhabitant, or citizen of Bulgaria

Other Word Forms

• anti-Bulgarian adjective
• pro-Bulgarian adjective
• pseudo-Bulgarian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Bulgarian

First recorded in 1545–55; Bulgari(a) + -an

Example Sentences

“The playing conditions here are terrible,” the Bulgarian said in his postmatch on-court comments after notching a win.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026

Shortly after taking bronze in the parallel giant slalom Sunday, Bulgarian snowboarder Tervel Zamfirov was running when the medal detached from the lanyard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

Naderi has dual German and Bulgarian citizenship through his father, while he also qualifies for the Czech Republic through his mother.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

The smaller denomination eurocents carry an image of the Madara rider, a symbol of early Bulgarian statehood, based on an 8th Century rock relief.

From BBC • Dec. 31, 2025

“And unless I’m much mistaken, Mostafa is actually attempting to send off the Bulgarian team mascots!” said Bagman’s voice.

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling