Serbia
/ˈsɜːr.bi.ə/noun
A country in southeastern Europe, historically associated with the South Slavic Serb people.
Did you know?The ultimate origin of Serb—and therefore Serbia—remains disputed; leading theories connect it to an ancient ethnonym recorded in several medieval linguistic traditions, not to a securely known word meaning “warrior” or “free.”
Etymological Timeline
Early Medieval
Proto-Slavic?
*sьrbъ
“A reconstructed ethnonym traditionally associated with the Serb people; its deeper meaning is uncertain.”
6th–7th Century
Greek
Σέρβοι (Sérboi)
“The Serbs; a Byzantine Greek form referring to the Slavic people.”
7th Century
Latin
Surbi / Serbi
“Latin forms used for the Serb people in medieval historical records.”
9th–10th Century
Old Church Slavonic
Срьби / Srьbi
“The Serbs, appearing in early Slavic textual traditions.”
12th Century
Medieval Latin
Servia / Serbia
“A Latinized geographical name for the land associated with the Serbs.”
Modern English
English
Serbia
“The modern country name, adopted through European geographic and political usage.”