# Macedonian

/ˌmækəˈdoʊnjən/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/macedonian
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. relating to Macedonia

adjective · CEFR B2

relating to the country of North Macedonia, the region of Macedonia, or its people.

For teachers: pertaining to the modern Republic of North Macedonia, the geographic region of Macedonia in the Balkans, or their inhabitants.

- We enjoyed some traditional Macedonian music during our trip to Skopje.
- The Macedonian government has worked extensively to align its trade policies with European Union standards over the last decade.

### 2. a person

noun · CEFR B2

a person who comes from Macedonia.

For teachers: a native or inhabitant of the Republic of North Macedonia or the wider geographic region of Macedonia.

- My neighbor is a Macedonian who moved here to study architecture.
- The conference brought together Greeks, Bulgarians, and Macedonians to discuss regional environmental protection strategies.

### 3. the modern language

noun · CEFR B2

the South Slavic language spoken in North Macedonia.

For teachers: the official South Slavic language of the Republic of North Macedonia, written in the Cyrillic alphabet.

- He is learning Macedonian so he can speak with his grandmother.
- Macedonian is linguistically close to Bulgarian, though it possesses its own distinct literary and grammatical standards.

### 4. ancient history

adjective · CEFR B2 · Literary

relating to the ancient kingdom of Macedon, ruled by leaders like Alexander the Great.

For teachers: pertaining to the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon or its people during antiquity.

- The museum has a large collection of ancient Macedonian gold coins.
- The Macedonian phalanx was a revolutionary military formation that allowed Alexander to conquer vast territories.

### 5. religious history

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a member of a specific Christian group from the 4th century.

For teachers: a follower of the 4th-century Christian sect founded by Macedonius I, which denied the full divinity of the Holy Spirit.

- The historian wrote about the conflict between the early church and the Macedonians.
- The Council of Constantinople in 381 AD officially condemned the Macedonian heresy regarding the nature of the Trinity.

## Examples

- I tried some delicious Macedonian food at the festival.
- The Macedonian government recently signed a new trade agreement with its neighbors to boost the local economy.
- Scholars often distinguish between the ancient Macedonian kingdom of Alexander the Great and the modern Slavic culture that shares the same geographical name.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.