Latvian

American

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

adjective

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

noun

a native or inhabitant of Latvia.
Also the Baltic language of Latvia.

Latvian British

/ ˈlætvɪən /

adjective

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

"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

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of Latvian

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

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.

A new office was set up in the Latvian capital Riga.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

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

The Bulgarian was freed but the Latvian charged and placed under arrest in the investigation.

From Barron's • Dec. 17, 2025

She’d have to deal with her Latvian papers and her pregnancy by herself.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023