Word of the Day

ракия

Rakia

Bulgarian

Bulgarian/rɐˈkijɐ/Serbian/rǎkija/
A Balkan spirit word became a regional identity test in one glass.

Rakia is a South Slavic household word for fruit brandy, especially in Bulgaria and neighboring regions. The Slavic forms are documented in Ottoman-period sources and local records from the early modern era. The term likely circulated through a multilingual Balkan alcohol lexicon. Domestic production made the word durable.

4 stops · from Plovdiv, Bulgaria to Vienna, Austria

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