Balkan

American  

[bawl-kuhn] / ˈbɔl kən /

adjective

1. pertaining to the Balkan States or their inhabitants.

2. pertaining to the Balkan Peninsula.

3. pertaining to the Balkan Mountains.

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noun

1. the Balkans. Balkan States.

Balkan British  

/ ˈbɔːlkən /

adjective

1. of, denoting, or relating to the Balkan States or their inhabitants, the Balkan Peninsula, or the Balkan Mountains

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Other Word Forms

• Balkanite noun
• trans-Balkan adjective

Etymology

Origin of Balkan

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Hundreds of truck drivers began blockading freight border crossings across several Balkan countries on Monday, demanding changes to the European Union visa system that restricts their time in the bloc.

From Barron's

Thousands of kilometres of Balkan rivers have been damaged in recent years, a study published Wednesday found, as hydropower development, dams and sediment extraction drive a "steady erosion" of some of Europe's last pristine waterways.

From Barron's

More than a million Greeks fled what is now Turkey, and millions of Turks fled the Balkans as the Ottoman empire fell into decay.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bulgaria's president said Friday the Balkan country will hold snap elections -- its eighth vote in five years -- after several parties declined to form a new government.

From Barron's

The warship's welcoming ceremony outside the naval base of Salamis included a copy of an ancient Athenian trireme and the Georgios Averof, a historic cruiser that fought in the Balkan Wars.

From Barron's