vaivode

noun

vai·​vode
ˈvīˌvōd
variants or voivode or less commonly voivod
ˈvȯiˌ-
plural -s
: a military commander or governor of a town or province in various Slavic countries

Word History

Etymology

vaivode from New Latin & Italian vaivoda, from obsolete Hungarian vajvoda, from Serbian & Slovene vojvoda, from Old Bulgarian vojevoda, literally, chieftain, from voinŭ warrior, soldier (akin to Lithuanian vyti to pursue, hunt) + voditi to lead; voivode from Russian voevoda, from Old Bulgarian

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near vaivode

Cite this Entry

“Vaivode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaivode. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!