English Reference

Word

macedonia

Phoneticsmace·do·nia

/ˌmækəˈdoʊniə/

Definitions

01the country

B1

n. a country in Southeast Europe, now officially called North Macedonia.

n. a sovereign state in the Balkan Peninsula, officially renamed the Republic of North Macedonia in 2019 to resolve a naming dispute with Greece.

“We spent our summer holiday hiking in the mountains of Macedonia.”

“The diplomatic resolution regarding the name Macedonia allowed the nation to pursue further integration into international European organisations.”

Synonyms

North Macedonia

02ancient kingdom

B2

n. a powerful kingdom in ancient times, famous for its leader Alexander the Great.

n. an ancient Greek kingdom centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, which became a dominant power under Philip II and Alexander the Great.

“In history class, we learned how Macedonia conquered much of the known world.”

“The archaeological findings in the royal tombs of Macedonia provided unprecedented insight into the wealth and artistry of the Argead dynasty.”

Synonyms

Macedon

03region in Greece

B2

n. a large area in the northern part of Greece.

n. a geographic and administrative region of northern Greece, containing the city of Thessaloniki.

“Thessaloniki is the largest city in the Greek region of Macedonia.”

“Vineyards in Macedonia are famous for producing distinct red wines that have gained international recognition in recent years.”

04mixed fruit or vegetables

C2 · Cooking

n. a dish made of small pieces of mixed fruit or vegetables.

n. a salad of vegetables or fruit cut into small, uniform pieces, typically served cold.

“The chef prepared a colourful Macedonia of summer fruits for dessert.”

“The apprentice was tasked with creating a precise vegetable macedonia, ensuring every cube of carrot and turnip was exactly four millimetres square.”

Technical

Usage

Often spelled 'macédoine' in professional culinary contexts.

Synonyms

macédoine

Real-World Examples

“An earlier version omitted North Macedonia from a list of countries that made up Yugoslavia.”
The Guardian · 12 Aug 2026

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek Μακεδονία (Makedonía, “Macedonia”), from μακεδονία (makedonía, “highland”), from μακεδνός (makednós, “high, tall”). Doublet of macedoine.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Cooking

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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