Slav

¹ American  

[slahv, slav] / slɑv, slæv /

noun

1. one of a group of peoples in eastern, southeastern, and central Europe, including the Russians and Ruthenians Eastern Slavs, the Bulgars, Serbs, Croats, Slavonians, Slovenians, etc. Southern Slavs, and the Poles, Czechs, Moravians, Slovaks, etc. Western Slavs.

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Slavs; Slavic.

Slav ² American  

Or Slav.

abbreviation

1. Slavic.

---

Slav British  

/ slɑːv /

noun

1. a member of any of the peoples of E Europe or NW Asia who speak a Slavonic language

---

Etymology

Origin of Slav

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Medieval Latin Slāvus, variant of Sclāvus, akin to Late Greek Sklábos, from a Slavic ethnonym, perhaps originally a name for all Slavic tribes (compare Old Russian Slověně, an East Slavic tribe); replacing Middle English Sclave, from Medieval Latin Sclāvus; Slovak, Slovenian, slave ( def. )

Example Sentences

“The global financial architecture is just not wired to give countries meaningful credit for positive nature investments,” said Slav Gatchev, the head of the Nature Conservancy’s sustainable debt division.

From New York Times • Nov. 7, 2022

Kramnik’s 16. f4 Bxd3?! experiment in this well-known QGD Slav line fares poorly as Topalov, one of the world’s great attackers, builds up formidable pressure on the kingside.

From Washington Times • Oct. 4, 2022

Working with Icelandic poet Sjón to write the script, they wrote one part, Olga — an enslaved Slav who becomes a close confident of Amleth — with Taylor-Joy in mind.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 20, 2022

The two countries speak closely related languages and later formed, with Belarus, the Slav core of the Soviet Union.

From Reuters • Jan. 26, 2022

Ruthenian, rōō-thē′ni-an, adj. of or pertaining to the Ruthenians, a branch of the little Russian division of the Slav race, on both sides of the Carpathians.—n. one of this race.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various