Karelian

[ kuh-ree-lee-uhn, -reel-yuhn ]

adjective

1. of or relating to Karelia, its people, or their language.

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Karelia.
2. the Uralic language of the Karelians, sometimes regarded as a dialect of Finnish.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Karelian¹

First recorded in 1850–55; Kareli(a) + -an

Example Sentences

For example, in the early 1900s, the Karelian people, a group indigenous to Northern Europe, traditionally designed skis to be a fathom plus six hand spans long.

From Science Magazine

A Fish and Wildlife team killed the bear with the assistance of a Karelian bear dog, a black and white Finnish breed bred to hunt large, aggressive game.

From Seattle Times

To try and break 380’s acquired habit, the park enlisted the help of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, which manages a Karelian bear dog program.

From Seattle Times

Dmitriyev used to head the Karelian branch of the human rights centre Memorial, which recognizes him as a political prisoner.

From Seattle Times

For dessert, she brought out lingonberry-carrot Karelian pies and yellowfoot mushroom cookies, which were a perfect way to conclude our mushroom feast — all homemade, except the cheese.

From Salon