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Croatia

American  
[kroh-ey-shuh, -shee-uh] / kroʊˈeɪ ʃə, -ʃi ə /

noun

  1. a republic in southeastern Europe: includes the historical regions of Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia; formerly a part of Yugoslavia. 21,835 sq. mi. (56,555 sq. km) Zagreb.


Croatia British  
/ krəʊˈeɪʃə /

noun

  1. Croatian name: Hrvatska.  a republic in SE Europe: settled by Croats in the 7th century; belonged successively to Hungary, Turkey, and Austria; formed part of Yugoslavia (1918–91); became independent in 1991 but was invaded by Serbia and fighting continued until 1995; involved in the civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1991–95); joined the European Union in 2013. Language: Croatian. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: kuna. Capital: Zagreb. Pop: 4 475 611 (2013 est). Area: 55 322 sq km (21 359 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Croatia Cultural  
  1. Republic in southeastern Europe in the upper western corner of the Balkan Peninsula, bordered to the northwest by Slovenia, to the north by Hungary, to the east by Yugoslavia, to the south and southeast by Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to the west by the Adriatic Sea. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb.


Discover More

When Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, fighting broke out between Croats and Croatia's large Serbian minority, who were aided by the Serb-dominated Yugoslavian government. In 1995, Croatian, Serbian, and Bosnian leaders met in the United States and settled on a peace accord. Hostility between Croats and Serbs has a long history; during World War II they fought on opposite sides of a civil war in Yugoslavia.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Platner pleaded ignorance—claiming that he had gotten inked with insignia while drunk and off duty in Croatia, and didn’t understand the horrific context until much later.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

"I look forward to further strengthening cooperation between Croatia and Hungary, both bilaterally and at the European level," said Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic after a phone call with Magyar.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

They ultimately fell to Croatia on penalties in the knockout stage but, with a wealth of talent at their disposal, could prove tricky opponents at this summer's World Cup in North America.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

There may be 80 days before England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Texas, but this international break has been widely seen as last-chance territory.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

This followed Brian’s breaking news about a boy in Croatia he read about on the web who’s magnetic.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson