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List of Serbo-Croatian words of Greek origin

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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 (хиљада), tiganj (тигањ), patos (патос). Almost every word of the Serbian Orthodox ceremonies are of Greek origin: parastos (парастос).

Serbo-Croatian (L) Serbo-Croatian (C) Greek (L) Greek English meaning Notes
afrodizijak афродизијак áfrodisiakós ἀφροδισιακός aphrodisiac AG
azot азот ázōtos ἀζωτος Nitrogen via French ← Latin ← AG
(coined in French, based on AG) Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = dušik
bar бар varós βάρος bar (unit of pressure) AG
biber бибер piperiá πιπεριά pepper via Turkish; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = papar
crkva црква kyriakón κυριακόν church via Proto-SlavicOld High German ← AG
cvekla цвекла red beet Proto-Slavic ← Medieval Greek ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = cikla
čempres чемпрес kypárissos κυπάρισσος cypress via DalmatianLatin
ćuprija ћуприја géfyra γέφυρα bridge via Turkish Synonym = most
delfin делфин delphís δελφίς dolphin via Latin ← AG
drum друм drómos δρόμος road Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = cesta; (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = put
dupin дупин delphís δελφίς dolphin via Dalmatian ← Latin ← AG
đak ђак diákos διάκος student, pupil via Medieval Latin
đakon ђакон diákonos διάκονος deacon via Medieval Latin
đubre ђубре kópros κόπρος garbage, trash; manure; bad and immoral person via Ottoman Turkish ← AG Synonym (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = smeće
efendija ефендија afthéntis αὐθέντης effendi via Ottoman Turkish
episkop епископ épískopos ἐπίσκοπος bishop AG Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = biskup
etika етика ḗthikós ἠθικός ethics AG
etnika етника éthnikós ἐθνικός ethnic group (people, nation)
fazan фазан phasianós φασιανός pheasant via German ← Latin ← AG
feniks феникс phoȋniks φοῖνιξ phoenix AG
gitara гитара kithára κιθάρα guitar via Spanish ← AG
guma гума kómmi κόμμι rubber via Latin ← AG, originally Egyptian
haos хаос kháos χάος chaos AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = kaos
hartija хартија khartí χαρτί paper Synonym (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = papir
hiljada хиљада khiliás χιλιάς [a] thousand (1000) AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = tisuća
hlor хлор χλωρός khlōrós chlorine AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = klor
hor хор khorós χορός chorus, choir Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = kor
idiot идиот idiṓtēs ἰδιώτης idiot via Latin ← AG
ikona икона eikóna εικόνα icon
ironija иронија eírōneía ειρωνεία irony AG
istorija историја istoría ἱστορία history AG; 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.
kada када kádos κάδος bathtub via Latin ← AG
kalem калем kálamos κάλαμος reel via Turkish ← Arabic ← AG
kamin камин káminos κάμινος hearth, fireplace via Latin ← AG
keramika керамика keramikós κεραμικός ceramics AG
kesten кестен kástana κάστανα chestnut via Turkish ← AG
kit кит kȇtos κῆτος Whale AG
klisura клисура kleisoúra κλεισούρα gorge Medieval Greek
komad комад kommátion κομμάτιον piece, part, parcel, fragment AG
kopito копито kopto hoof
kreda креда Krḗtē Κρήτη chalk, Cretaceous via Latin ← AG
krevet крeвет kreváti (MG) / krábbatos (AG) κρεβάτι (MG) / κράββατος (AG) bed via Ottoman Turkish ← MG ← AG
kutija кутија koutí κουτί box via Ottoman Turkish ← AG
livada ливада livádi λιβάδι meadow MG
mana мана mánna μάννα manna via Latin ← AG, originally Hebrew
manastir манастир monastḗrion μοναστήριον monastery, cloister via Latin ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = samostan
melodija мелодија melōidía μελῳδία melody via Latin ← AG
miris мирис mýron μύρον smell AG
mirodija миродија myrodiá μυρωδιά aromatic spice MG
mit мит mŷthos μῦθος myth AG
muzej музеј Μουσεῖον Mouseîon museum via Latin ← AG
nafta нафта náphtha νάφθα petroleum, diesel fuel (slang) via Latin ← AG
okean океан ṓkeanós ὠκεανός ocean via Latin ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = ocean
orgazam оргазам orgasmós οργασμός orgasm via Latin ← AG
orgija оргија órgia ὄργια orgy AG
papa папа papás παπάς Pope via Latin ← AG
patos патос pátos πάτος floor AG; Synonym (in all Serbo-Croatian dialects) = pod
pâtos па̂тос páthos πάθος pathos AG
paranoja параноја paránoia παράνοια paranoia via Neo-Latin ← AG
parastos парастос parástasis παράστασις dirge
pasulj пасуљ fasóli (MG) / phásēlos (AG) φασόλι (MG) / φάσηλος (AG) bean via Hungarian ← MG ← AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = grah
pauza пауза paûsis παῦσις pause via German ← Latin ← AG
pita пита píta πίτα pie, pita via Turkish ← Medieval Greek
plastika пластика plastikós πλαστικός plastic via Latin
pleroma плерома plḗrōma πλήρωμα Pleroma AG
pop поп papás παπάς priest via Proto-Slavic ← Old German German ← AG
praksa пракса prȃksis πρᾶξις usage, use, practice, profession AG
putir путир potḗr ποτήρ chalice AG; Synonym (in Croatian dialects) = kalež
sfera сфера sphaĩra σφαῖρα sphere AG
sidro сидро sídiros σίδηρος anchor
sistem систем sýstema σύστημα system AG
skandal скандал skándalon σκάνδαλον scandal via German ← Latin ← AG
stadion стадион stádion στάδιον stadium, stadion AG
subota субота sávvaton σάββατον Saturday via Latin ← AG, originally Hebrew
sulundar сулундар sōlēnárion σωληνάριον stove-pipe via Turkish ← MG ← AG
talas талас thálassa θάλασσα wind wave via Turkish ← AG; Synonym (in western Serbo-Croatian dialects) = val
talenat таленат tálanton τάλαντον talent AG;
tehnika техника tekhnikós τεχνικός technique, technology AG
tiganj тигањ tigáni τηγάνι pan (saucepan) via Turkish
tip тип týpos τύπος type AG

See also

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References

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  • "Grecizmi u srpskom jeziku". ЈУЖНОСЛОВЕНСКИ филолог. Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti: 375–403. GGKEY:00RD5D429DG.