Balkans

Of Turkic origin. Compare Turkish balkan (“wooded mountain range”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɔːl.kənz/, /ˈbɒl.kənz/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈbɑl.kənz/, /ˈbɔl.kənz/

Balkans

1. A geographical region in the southeast of Europe, roughly equivalent to the area covered by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia (and Kosovo), sometimes including Romania, Slovenia, and European Turkey.
   • 2002 — Dennis P. Hupchick, The Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism, p.104:

     As the Ottomans' victories in the Balkans multiplied, increasing numbers of Anatolian warriors flocked to their ranks, and their territorial conquests grew.

   • 2015 — Anastas Vangeli, On the Growing Cooperation Between China and the Western Balkans, in: Nikolaos Papakostas and Nikolaos Pasamitros (editors), An Agenda for the Western Balkans: From Elite Politics to Social Sustainability, Stuttgart, p.182:

     The Balkans is still comparatively less attractive than other post-communist countries in Europe [...]

• Used with the definite article the and construed as a plural.

• (geographical region): Balkan Peninsula

• Balkan
• Balkanism
• Balkanize

• Balkanic
• Balkanian
• Paleo-Balkan

• IPA^(key): /ˈbalkaːns/
• Hyphenation: Bal‧kans

Balkans

1. genitive singular of Balkan