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

Nikolay Oskolkov, a researcher at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis not involved in the study, told AFP it was interesting that "the Iceman's microbiome is not 'frozen'".

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

The new Latvian four-party coalition should enjoy a healthy majority in parliament and pursue a broadly pro-EU, pro-NATO direction.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina has resigned following a political crisis over Russia-bound Ukrainian drones straying into Latvian territory.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

Rothko, the Latvian immigrant who helped define abstract expressionism, has emerged as this season’s one-man barometer of the art market’s health.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

I am fortunate to have station on a raft, joined by a young Latvian woman whose newborn baby was snatched into a lifeboat without her.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys