noun
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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)
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the unrecorded ancient language from which all of these languages developed
adjective
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of, denoting, or relating to this group of languages
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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
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
Although detailed connections between the Slavonic Corps and Wagner remain unclear, many Wagner commanders were originally part of the corps, according to Gregory Waters, a scholar at the Middle East Institute.
From New York Times • Jul. 10, 2023
During the 5th and 6th centuries Greece had been subjected to Slavonic incursions which resulted in no permanent settlements.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 4 "Grasshopper" to "Greek Language" 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.
