What does bulgar mean?
Bulgar is a chiefly historical noun denoting a member of the Bulgars, the Turkic-speaking people who became prominent in southeastern Europe during the early Middle Ages and established the medieval Bulgarian state. Although the Bulgars developed and ruled over a predominantly Slavic society, their historical name became the source of Bulgarian and Bulgaria. The word is therefore encountered in accounts of Byzantine, Balkan, and early medieval history, where it may refer to rulers, soldiers, peoples, or political communities rather than simply to inhabitants of the modern country of Bulgaria. In present-day usage, Bulgarian is normally preferred for a person from Bulgaria or for a member of its modern population. Bulgar has mainly historical force, but it remains useful because it identifies the specific people and traditions behind the later development of Bulgarian language and identity. Its plural is regularly bulgars.
nounA member of the Bulgars, the Turkic-speaking people associated with the formation of medieval Bulgaria. The term is chiefly historical and is distinguished today from the modern demonym Bulgarian.
- A member of the Bulgars, the historical Turkic-speaking people of southeastern Europe who formed the medieval Bulgarian state.
"The Bulgar ruler established a dynasty that ruled much of the Balkans."
"Medieval chronicles describe battles between the Byzantines, Bulgars, and other Balkan powers."
"The museum displays objects associated with the culture of the medieval Bulgars."
The usual plural, especially in historical writing.
"The Bulgars gradually established control over much of the Balkan peninsula."
Bulgarian is the familiar modern name, but the older name Bulgar preserves the identity of the medieval people whose name became embedded in the history of southeastern Europe.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does bulgar come from?
English bulgar comes through medieval Latin usage for the people known as Bulgars. Bulgarian and Bulgaria were subsequently formed from the same historical ethnonym, although the deeper origin of that name remains disputed. The English word therefore preserves an older historical form alongside the more familiar modern Bulgarian.
How bulgar is actually used
Bulgar is chiefly historical and may sound dated in ordinary modern speech. Bulgarian is the usual term for a contemporary person from Bulgaria or for a member of the Bulgarian people.
Easily confused with bulgar
Bulgar refers to a member of the historical Bulgar people, whereas Bulgarian normally means a modern inhabitant of Bulgaria, a member of its modern population, or a person from the Bulgarian language.