Latvian

American  

[lat-vee-uhn, laht-] / ˈlæt vi ən, ˈlɑt- /

adjective

1. of or relating to Latvia, its inhabitants, or their language.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Latvia.

2. Also the Baltic language of Latvia.

Latvian British  

/ ˈlætvɪən /

adjective

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

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noun

1. Also called: Lettish.  the official language of Latvia: closely related to Lithuanian and belonging to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European family

2. a native or inhabitant of Latvia

Etymology

Origin of Latvian

First recorded in 1915–20; Latvi(a) + -an

Example Sentences

Ukrainian drones entered Estonian and Latvian air spaces from Russia overnight, with one hitting infrastructure and another crashing on land, Tallinn and Riga have said.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

After their competitions, the Ukrainian and Latvian bobsled teams lifted their helmets in tribute to Heraskevych.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

He spent two years studying the role of musical activity in the nonviolent anti-Soviet uprisings of the Baltic States during the Perestroika era, publishing his research in English and Latvian.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

The president said in a statement that the current law would "send a contradictory message to both Latvian society and international allies".

From Barron's • Nov. 3, 2025

When the Latvian queen sat down, Serafina turned to Lee Scoresby.

From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman