List of Serbo-Croatian words of Greek origin


Greek influence was widespread throughout the Balkans during the Middle Ages, influencing the languages within it, including Serbo-Croatian. Many words of Greek origin were borrowed from other languages, while most others came via contact with the Greeks. Some words are present and common in the modern vernaculars of Serbo-Croatian: hiljada, tiganj, patos. Almost every word of the Serbian Orthodox ceremonies are of Greek origin: parastos.
Serbo-Croatian Serbo-Croatian Greek GreekEnglish meaningNotes
afrodizijakафродизијакáfrodisiakósἀφροδισιακόςaphrodisiacAG
azotазотázōtosἀζωτοςNitrogenvia French ← Latin ← AG
Synonym = dušik
barбарvarósβάροςbar AG
biberбиберpiperiáπιπεριάpeppervia [Ottoman Ottoman Turkish language|Turkish language|Turkish]; Synonym = papar
crkvaцркваkyriakónκυριακόνchurchvia Proto-Slavic ← Old High German ← AG
cveklaцвеклаred beetProto-Slavic ← Medieval Greek ← AG; Synonym = cikla
čempresчемпресkypárissosκυπάρισσοςcypressvia Dalmatian ← Latin
ćuprijaћупријаgéfyraγέφυραbridgevia Turkish Synonym = most
delfinделфинdelphísδελφίςdolphinvia Latin ← AG
drumдрумdrómosδρόμοςroad Synonym = cesta; = put
dupinдупинdelphísδελφίςdolphinvia Dalmatian ← Latin ← AG
đakђакdiákosδιάκοςstudent, pupilvia Medieval Latin
đakonђаконdiákonosδιάκονοςdeaconvia Medieval Latin
đubreђубреkóprosκόπροςgarbage, trash; manure; bad and immoral personvia Ottoman Turkish ← AG Synonym = smeće
efendijaефендијаafthéntisαὐθέντηςeffendivia Ottoman Turkish
episkopепископépískoposἐπίσκοποςbishopAG Synonym = biskup
etikaетикаḗthikósἠθικόςethicsAG
etnikaетникаéthnikósἐθνικόςethnic group
fazanфазанphasianósφασιανόςpheasantvia German ← Latin ← AG
feniksфениксphoȋniksφοῖνιξphoenixAG
gitaraгитараkitháraκιθάραguitarvia Spanish ← AG
gumaгумаkómmiκόμμιrubbervia Latin ← AG, originally Egyptian
haosхаосkháosχάοςchaosAG; Synonym = kaos
hartijaхартијаkhartíχαρτίpaperSynonym = papir
hiljadaхиљадаkhiliásχιλιάς thousand AG; Synonym = tisuća
hlorхлорχλωρόςkhlōróschlorineAG; Synonym = klor
horхорkhorósχορόςchorus, choirSynonym = kor
idiotидиотidiṓtēsἰδιώτηςidiotvia Latin ← AG
ikonaиконаeikónaεικόναicon
ironijaиронијаeírōneíaειρωνείαironyAG
istorijaисторијаistoríaἱστορίαhistoryAG; Bosnian form of historija is derived from the Latin historia; in standard Croatian, historija denotes the academic study of history, while preferring povijest for history as a past reality. Ekavian form povest is seldom used in Serbia.
kadaкадаkádosκάδοςbathtubvia Latin ← AG
kalemкалемkálamosκάλαμοςreelvia Turkish ← Arabic ← AG
kaminкаминkáminosκάμινοςhearth, fireplacevia Latin ← AG
keramikaкерамикаkeramikósκεραμικόςceramicsAG
kestenкестенkástanaκάσταναchestnutvia Turkish ← AG
kitкитkȇtosκῆτοςWhaleAG
klisuraклисураkleisoúraκλεισούραgorgeMedieval Greek
komadкомадkommátionκομμάτιονpiece, part, parcel, fragmentAG
kopitoкопитоkoptohoof
kredaкредаKrḗtēΚρήτηchalk, Cretaceousvia Latin ← AG
krevetкрeветkreváti / krábbatos κρεβάτι / κράββατος bedvia Ottoman Turkish ← MG ← AG
kutijaкутијаkoutíκουτίboxvia Ottoman Turkish ← AG
livadaливадаlivádiλιβάδιmeadowMG
manaманаmánnaμάνναmannavia Latin ← AG, originally Hebrew
manastirманастирmonastḗrionμοναστήριονmonastery, cloistervia Latin ← AG; Synonym = samostan
melodijaмелодијаmelōidíaμελῳδίαmelodyvia Latin ← AG
mirisмирисmýronμύρονsmellAG
mirodijaмиродијаmyrodiáμυρωδιάaromatic spiceMG
mitмитmŷthosμῦθοςmythAG
muzejмузејΜουσεῖονMouseîonmuseumvia Latin ← AG
naftaнафтаnáphthaνάφθαpetroleum, diesel fuel via Latin ← AG
okeanокеанṓkeanósὠκεανόςoceanvia Latin ← AG; Synonym = ocean
orgazamоргазамorgasmósοργασμόςorgasmvia Latin ← AG
orgijaоргијаórgiaὄργιαorgyAG
papaпапаpapásπαπάςPopevia Latin ← AG
patosпатосpátosπάτοςfloorAG; Synonym = pod
pâtosпа̂тосpáthosπάθοςpathosAG
paranojaпаранојаparánoiaπαράνοιαparanoiavia Neo-Latin ← AG
parastosпарастосparástasisπαράστασιςdirge
pasuljпасуљfasóli / phásēlos φασόλι / φάσηλος beanvia Hungarian ← MG ← AG; Synonym = grah
pauzaпаузаpaûsisπαῦσιςpausevia German ← Latin ← AG
pitaпитаpítaπίταpie, pitavia Turkish ← Medieval Greek
plastikaпластикаplastikósπλαστικόςplasticvia Latin
pleromaплеромаplḗrōmaπλήρωμαPleromaAG
popпопpapásπαπάςpriestvia Proto-Slavic ← Old German German ← AG
praksaпраксаprȃksisπρᾶξιςusage, use, practice, professionAG
putirпутирpotḗrποτήρchaliceAG; Synonym = kalež
sferaсфераsphaĩraσφαῖραsphereAG
sidroсидроsídirosσίδηροςanchor
sistemсистемsýstemaσύστημαsystemAG
skandalскандалskándalonσκάνδαλονscandalvia German ← Latin ← AG
stadionстадионstádionστάδιονstadium, stadionAG
subotaсуботаsávvatonσάββατονSaturdayvia Latin ← AG, originally Hebrew
sulundarсулундарsōlēnárionσωληνάριονstove-pipevia Turkish ← MG ← AG
talasталасthálassaθάλασσαwind wavevia Turkish ← AG; Synonym = val
talenatталенатtálantonτάλαντονtalentAG;
tehnikaтехникаtekhnikósτεχνικόςtechnique, technologyAG
tiganjтигањtigániτηγάνιpan via Turkish
tipтипtýposτύποςtypeAG