herzegovina

IPA/ˌhɜːt.səˈɡɒv.ɪ.nə/
KK[hˌɛrtsəɡovˈinə]IPA/ˌhert.sə.ɡoʊˈviː.nə/

herzegovina — noun

1. the area making up the southern region of the state called Bosnia and Herzegovin

1.nounB1
Definition

the area making up the southern region of the state called Bosnia and Herzegovina, stretching from the Dinaric Alps toward the Adriatic coast; the name normally appears alongside Bosnia when speakers mean the whole nation.

Example

The Neretva River runs through the mountains of Herzegovina before reaching the sea.

place name + river as subject for location context

Roya spent a month traveling through Herzegovina and the Dalmatian coast last summer.

Common collocations
  • south of Herzegovina
  • through Herzegovina
  • in Herzegovina
  • bridges of Herzegovina
  • mountains of Herzegovina
  • trip to Herzegovina
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

usually paired with 'Bosnia' as 'Bosnia and Herzegovina'

Usage Note

Herzegovina is rarely used alone in everyday speech; it almost always appears as part of the compound name 'Bosnia and Herzegovina' or in explicit geographic descriptions.

Common Mistakes

He comes from Herzegovina.' (when speaking informally about nationality).
He comes from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
when referring to the country as a whole, use the full name.

herzegovina — geographical name

Word family

  • Herzegovinian
    adjectiveC1
  • Herzegovinian
    nounC1
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Bosnia and Herzegovina' is the full name of the country and is the standard term in news, travel, and official contexts — learners should use it when referring to the nation as a whole. 'Bosnia' alone is frequently used informally to mean the whole country, but this is technically inaccurate because it excludes Herzegovina. 'Herzegovina' by itself names only the southern region and is uncommon in everyday conversation unless distinguishing the two regions. 'The Balkans' is a much larger geographic and cultural area that includes Bosnia and Herzegovina along with many other countries. In writing, use 'Bosnia and Herzegovina' for precision; save 'Herzegovina' alone for contexts where the regional distinction matters, such as travel guides or historical discussions.

Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosniaHerzegovina ↗the Balkans

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • the region of Herzegovina

Prepositions

Etymology

GermanSouth Slavic languagesEnglish

The name 'Herzegovina' comes from the German word 'Herzog' meaning 'duke'. In the 15th century, the region was ruled by a duke (herzog in German), and the area became known as 'Herzog's land' — or in the local Slavic form, 'Hercegovina'. Over time it was adopted into English as 'Herzegovina'.