Polish

/ˈpoʊlɪʃ/
Add to My Dictionary
In My Dictionary
+1
Connected with Poland as a nationality, culture, or origin, and as the name of the West Slavic language spoken there and in its diaspora.

Examples

  • Polish spelling uses letters such as ł and ż.
  • The museum opened a new Polish art gallery.
  • Chicago has a large Polish American community.
  • Polish has seven grammatical cases.
  • The poem was translated from Polish into English.

Similar words

polszczyzna
Polonic
Polonian
język polski
Polish language

Meanings

Connected with Poland

adjective
nationality
neutral
From, belonging to, or characteristic of Poland, its people, culture, or language.

Examples

  • The museum opened a new Polish art gallery.
  • She brought Polish cheese to the party.
  • His grandparents kept many Polish traditions alive.
  • The conference included several Polish researchers.
  • That Polish film won awards across Europe.
  • Polish spelling uses letters such as ł and ż.
  • Chicago has a large Polish American community.

Similar words

The Polish language

noun
language
neutral
The West Slavic language of Poland, written in the Latin alphabet with distinctive diacritics and spoken in Poland and Polish communities worldwide.

Examples

  • She is learning Polish before moving to Krakow.
  • Polish has seven grammatical cases.
  • The poem was translated from Polish into English.
  • Standard Polish is taught in schools across Poland.
  • His parents spoke Polish at home.
  • Polish belongs to the West Slavic branch.
  • The app offers lessons in Polish and Czech.

Similar words

Etymology

From Pole + -ish. Pole ultimately refers to the Polans, a West Slavic people whose name is commonly linked with fields or plains.

FAQ

What does Polish mean?

Polish means connected with Poland, or the West Slavic language spoken in Poland.

Is Polish always capitalized?

Yes. The word is capitalized when it refers to Poland, its people, culture, or language.

What is the difference between Polish and polish?

Polish refers to Poland or its language, while polish means shine, smooth, or refine.

Can Polish refer to people?

Yes, it can describe people from Poland, as in Polish citizens, but the noun for the people is usually Poles.

What kind of language is Polish?

Polish is a West Slavic language written in a Latin alphabet with letters such as ł, ś, and ż.

Comments & contributions

Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
Posting as a guest · Sign in
No comments yet. Be the first to add one.
Look up word or phrase...