Kosovo

name

Etymology: Shortened form of Serbo-Croatian Косово поље (“blackbirds’ field”), from косово (kosovo), possessive form of кос (kos, “blackbird”), and поље (polje, “field”).

1. A partly-recognized country on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. Official name: Republic of Kosovo. Capital and largest city: Pristina. Considered by the Republic of Serbia to be one of its two autonomous provinces.

   “Yugoslavia’s President, Slobodan Milosevic, has rejected all efforts at meaningful diplomacy and, in violation of his own previous commitments, has ratcheted up his military campaign against the innocent civilians of Kosovo.”

   “After Milosevic’s overthrow in October 2000, international pressure on the new authorities in Belgrade to extradict Milosevic for alleged war crimes committed during the Kosovo conflict was intense.”

2. One of five administrative districts of the above region as viewed by the Serbian government.