Croat

From Medieval Latin Croata, from Proto-Slavic *xorvatъ (“Croat”), the Croatian autonym, perhaps from Old Persian [script needed] (*xaraxwat-) from Proto-Iranian *hárahwatiH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *SáraswatiH. Compare the Old Persian name of the place: 𐏃𐎼𐎢𐎺𐎫𐎡𐏁 (h-r-u-v-t-i-š /⁠harauvatiš⁠/, literally “rich in waters/lakes”). Doublet of cravat and Sarasvati.

The Croats (who are first recorded in the vicinity of present-day Krakow) probably acquired this name during interactions with the Iranian-speaking Scythians or Sarmatians.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹəʊ.æt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹoʊ.æt/, /ˈkɹoʊ.ɑt/

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Croat (countable and uncountable, plural Croats)

1. (countable) A native or inhabitant of Croatia; a person of Croatian ethnicity.

   Synonym: Croatian

2. (dated) An irregular soldier, generally from Croatia.
3. (uncountable, uncommon) The Croatian lect.
   • 2012, Alen Mattich, Zagreb Cowboy, →ISBN:

     It almost made him laugh. What could he possibly do in Ohio? Did Cleveland have a pressing need for secret policemen who spoke Croat?

A distinction is sometimes made between Croat (“a person of Croatian ethnicity/descent”) and Croatian (“a person from Croatia but not necessarily an ethnic Croat”).

• Serbo-Croatian
• Serbo-Croat

• Cator, actor, carto-, rocta, taroc