Ossetia

American  

[o-see-shuh, uh-sye-tyi-yuh] / ɒˈsi ʃə, ʌˈsyɛ tyɪ yə /

noun

1. a region in Caucasia: divided between North Ossetia of the Russian Federation and the South Ossetian Autonomous Region of the Georgian Republic.

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Ossetia British  

/ ɒˈsɛtjə, ɒˈsiːtjə /

noun

1. a region of central Asia, in the Caucasus: consists administratively of the North Ossetian Republic in Russia and South Ossetia (formerly an Autonomous Region) in Georgia

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Example Sentences

He fought in Chechnya and in a brief war in North Ossetia in the 1990s, and later took part in Russia’s military intervention in Syria.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

Moscow recognises the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent, while most of the world recognises them as Georgian territory.

From Barron's • Oct. 15, 2025

Moscow then recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states and beefed up its military presence there.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 8, 2024

In August 2008, Russia invaded Georgia, as a result of conflict over the disputed region of South Ossetia.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2023

Ethnic separation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, poor governance, and Russian military bases deny the government effective control over the entirety of the state's internationally recognized territory.

From The 2002 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency