macedonia
macedonia — noun
1. an ancient kingdom in southeastern Europe that, at the height of its power in th
an ancient kingdom in southeastern Europe that, at the height of its power in the 300s BC, controlled territory in what is now Greece, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, and Turkey, and produced the famous conqueror Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great ruled the ancient kingdom of Macedonia starting in 336 BC.
collocation: kingdom of Macedonia
Near the city of Thessaloniki, tourists can visit ruins from ancient Macedonia.
Under King Philip, the army of ancient Macedonia conquered most of Greece.
collocation: army / conquer — verbs of military action with Macedonia
Philip II of ancient Macedonia was buried at Vergina with a golden chest and crown.
specific: Philip II / Vergina / golden burial artifacts
Archaeologists at Pella, Alexander the Great's capital, uncovered floor mosaics with hunting scenes.
specific: Pella / floor mosaics — artistic legacy
- kingdom of Macedonia
- ancient Macedonia
- army of Macedonia
- empire of Macedonia
Usage Note
Always capitalized. This historical kingdom is distinct from both the modern Greek region and the present-day country of North Macedonia.
Common Mistakes
2. a region in northeastern Greece, with Thessaloniki as its largest city, known fo
a region in northeastern Greece, with Thessaloniki as its largest city, known for its mountains, beaches, and agricultural products such as olives and wine
Nkechi spent her summer holiday on the coast of Macedonia in northern Greece.
The region of Macedonia in Greece has many ancient ruins and quiet seaside towns.
collocation: region of Macedonia
Thessaloniki, the main city of Macedonia in Greece, hosts a large film festival each year.
Farmers in Greek Macedonia grow olives and grapes for the local food and wine industry.
collocation: in Greek Macedonia
Élise took a ferry from the coast of Macedonia to visit several Greek islands nearby.
- region of Macedonia
- Greek Macedonia
- coast of Macedonia
Usage Note
Always capitalized. Refers specifically to the Greek administrative region, not the broader Balkan area or the modern country of North Macedonia.
Common Mistakes
3. a wider geographic area in the southern Balkan Peninsula that covers parts of no
a wider geographic area in the southern Balkan Peninsula that covers parts of northeastern Greece, North Macedonia, and southwestern Bulgaria, without corresponding to a single modern political unit
The wider region of Macedonia stretches across three modern countries.
collocation: region of Macedonia stretches across
Travelers passing through the Macedonian region cross borders between Greece and Bulgaria.
The Balkan region of Macedonia has a mixed population of different ethnic and language groups.
The Vardar River runs through the Macedonian region from North Macedonia to the Aegean Sea.
specific: Vardar River — cross-border waterway
Beatriz studied the history of the Macedonian region before visiting several Balkan countries.
collocation: the Macedonian region
- Macedonian region
- region of Macedonia
Usage Note
Always capitalized. This sense describes a geographic and cultural zone, not a political border. Distinguish from sense 2 (GREEK REGION), which is an official administrative unit within Greece.
4. the name that was used for the independent country in the Balkan Peninsula from
the name that was used for the independent country in the Balkan Peninsula from its independence in 1991 until 2019, when it was officially renamed North Macedonia after a dispute with Greece
The country called Macedonia changed its official name to North Macedonia in 2019.
collocation: called / renamed — name-change verbs
Before 2019, the republic was simply known as Macedonia to most of the world.
Hiro read about the long dispute between Greece and Macedonia over the country's name.
collocation: dispute between Greece and Macedonia
The United Nations accepted the country under the name Macedonia for almost thirty years.
Citizens of Macedonia voted in a referendum on changing the country's official name in 2018.
- the country of Macedonia
- the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- Macedonia's name dispute
- FYROM
abbreviation for Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, used by some international bodies before 2019
- North Macedonia
the current official name since 2019
Usage Note
Always capitalized. This sense refers to the historical name of the country; in current news and formal writing, North Macedonia is now the correct term for the modern state.
Common Mistakes
5. a landlocked country in the south-central Balkan Peninsula, which was a republic
a landlocked country in the south-central Balkan Peninsula, which was a republic of Yugoslavia from 1946 to 1992 and became independent in 1991; its capital is Skopje, and its official name has been North Macedonia since 2019
North Macedonia is a small landlocked country in the Balkan Peninsula.
collocation: landlocked country
The capital of North Macedonia, Skopje, has a mix of old buildings and modern streets.
Ravindra traveled to North Macedonia to hike in the mountains near Lake Ohrid.
North Macedonia became a member of NATO in 2020 as part of its new name agreement.
collocation: member of NATO
North Macedonia exports wine from Tikveš and iron and lead from Kratovo's mines.
collocation: exports wine / iron — specific industries
- landlocked country
- capital Skopje
- member of NATO
- North Macedonia
- North Macedonia
the current official name
- Republic of North Macedonia
the full formal name
Usage Note
Always capitalized. Since 2019, North Macedonia is the only official name for this country. Using 'Macedonia' alone to refer to the modern country is now outdated in formal contexts.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- MacedonianadjectiveB1
- MacedoniannounB1
Common collocations
Phrases
- the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- Republic of Macedonia
- North Macedonia
Prepositions
- in Macedonia
- from Macedonia
- to Macedonia
- of Macedonia
Etymology
The name comes from the ancient Greek 'Makedonia', which referred to the kingdom of the Makedones people. The Greek word 'makednos' means 'tall' or 'highlander', describing the people who lived in the mountainous region. Over centuries, the name was applied to different territories — the ancient kingdom, a Roman province, a Byzantine region, an Ottoman area, and eventually a modern country — while its boundaries shifted.