What does "yugoslavia" mean?
A former country in Southeast Europe in the Balkans, now split into 6 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.
Yugoslavia
/ˌjuː.ɡəˈslɑː.vɪ.ə/ name
name ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A former country in Southeast Europe in the Balkans, now split into 6 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.
- Grammar: yugoslavia is listed as name.
- Nearest alternatives: cultural unity, federal state, kingdom, pan yugoslavism.
- Useful contrasts: federal state, fragmentation, nonfederal state.
- Usage evidence: Yugoslavia says it's not responsible for the actions of Serbian militias in Bosnia which have killed thousands, ruined cities, and turned 1.3 million people into refugees over the last three months.
How to use "yugoslavia"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "yugoslavia" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "yugoslavia" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "yugoslavia" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "yugoslavia" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "yugoslavia" is acting as name in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cultural unity" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "yugoslavia", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Proper Noun
- 1 A former country in Southeast Europe in the Balkans, now split into 6 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. historical
"This all relates to what happened in the 1990s, in the bloody aftermath of Yugoslavia splintering into separate nations."
- 2 A former country in Southeast Europe in the Balkans, now split into 6 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.; The Kingdom of Yugoslavia, a kingdom ruled by the House of Karađorđević which existed from 1918 to 1941. historical, specific
- 3 A former country in Southeast Europe in the Balkans, now split into 6 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.; The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a communist state which existed from 1945 to 1992. historical, specific
- 4 A former country in Southeast Europe, a rump state formed by Serbia and Montenegro after 1992; in full, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. historical
"Yugoslavia’s President, Slobodan Milosevic, has rejected all efforts at meaningful diplomacy and, in violation of his own previous commitments, has ratcheted up his military campaign against the innocent civilians of Kosovo."
- 5 A former country in Southeast Europe, a rump state formed by Serbia and Montenegro after 1992; in full, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.; Serbia and Montenegro, after 2003 until 2006, when it disintegrated. broadly, historical, nonstandard
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Yugoslavia says it's not responsible for the actions of Serbian militias in Bosnia which have killed thousands, ruined cities, and turned 1.3 million people into refugees over the last three months."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "yugoslavia"?
Common synonyms include: cultural unity, federal state, kingdom, pan yugoslavism, sfry, socialist state.
How do you use "yugoslavia" in a sentence?
Yugoslavia says it's not responsible for the actions of Serbian militias in Bosnia which have killed thousands, ruined cities, and turned 1.3 million people into refugees over the last three months.
How do you pronounce "yugoslavia"?
Pronounced /ˌjuː.ɡəˈslɑː.vɪ.ə/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Serbo-Croatian Jugoslavija, in turn from jug (“south”) and slavija (“Slavia, the land of the Slavs”). Literally, the land of the South Slavs. By surface analysis, Yugoslav + -ia.