noun
-
a branch of the Indo-European family of languages, usually divided into three subbranches: South Slavonic (including Old Church Slavonic, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Bosnian, etc), East Slavonic (including Ukrainian, Russian, etc), and West Slavonic (including Polish, Czech, Slovak, etc)
-
the unrecorded ancient language from which all of these languages developed
adjective
-
of, denoting, or relating to this group of languages
-
of, denoting, or relating to the people who speak these languages
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Slavonic
1605–15; < New Latin slavonicus, equivalent to Medieval Latin Slavon ( ia ) + -icus -ic
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.
Philosophers and theologians adopted the Slavonic upiór to coin the English term “vampire.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 21, 2025
A Dvorák Slavonic dance and a Brahms Hungarian one were flirtatious and fun.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2025
Today they are hard at work practising one of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances ahead of a highly anticipated performance in London later this month alongside the Royal Philharmonic.
From BBC • Oct. 7, 2023
Nonetheless, many Slovaks have a soft spot for their Russian Slavonic brethren and are grateful to the Red Army for liberating their country at the end of WWII.
From Washington Times • Sep. 18, 2023
The great Slavonic migration into Illyria, which wrought a complete change in the fortunes of Dalmatia, took place in the first half of the 7th century.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 9 "Dagupan" to "David" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
