# Romanian

/ɹoʊˈmeɪniən/ (US)

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

## Senses

### 1. a person

noun · CEFR A2

a person who comes from the country of Romania.

For teachers: a native or inhabitant of Romania.

- My neighbor is a Romanian who moved here to study engineering.
- The conference was attended by several prominent Romanians who are leading the way in European cybersecurity research.

### 2. the language

noun · CEFR A2

the language spoken in Romania and Moldova.

For teachers: the official Romance language of Romania and Moldova.

- She grew up speaking Romanian at home with her parents.
- Linguists often study Romanian because it has preserved certain Latin features that other Romance languages have lost over time.

### 3. gym exercise

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a short way to say 'Romanian deadlift', which is a weightlifting move for your legs.

For teachers: a colloquial ellipsis of 'Romanian deadlift', referring to a specific posterior-chain weightlifting exercise.

- I finished my workout with three sets of Romanians to strengthen my hamstrings.
- The trainer suggested incorporating Romanians into the routine to improve the athlete's hinge movement and lower back stability.

Usage: Usually used in the plural when referring to sets of the exercise.

### 4. relating to Romania

adjective · CEFR A2

related to the country, people, or culture of Romania.

For teachers: of or relating to Romania, its people, or its language.

- We went to a Romanian restaurant and tried some traditional cabbage rolls.
- The museum is hosting an exhibition of Romanian folk art, featuring intricate wood carvings and hand-woven textiles.

## Examples

- My new neighbor is a Romanian who moved here last year.
- The museum guide explained the history of the region in both English and Romanian for the visiting group.
- While many people assume it sounds like Russian, Romanian is actually a Romance language with roots that are much closer to Italian and French.

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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.
