Bosniak

Bosniak is the term used for a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosniaks are one of the three constitutive peoples of the country, alongside Serbs and Croats. They are predominantly Muslim and have a cultural heritage shaped by Ottoman and Central European influences. The Bosnian language, a standard variety of the South Slavic language continuum, is commonly written in Latin script, with mutual intelligibility among Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian.

Geographically, Bosniaks form the majority of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and are represented in diaspora communities across Europe, North America, and Australasia. The community maintains a rich tradition in literature, music, cuisine, and religious life, reflecting its historical experiences and regional interactions. The term also functions as an ethnonym in historical and political contexts, where Bosniaks are one of the three constitutional peoples recognized in Bosnia and Herzegovina's postwar framework.

In medicine, Bosniak refers to the Bosniak classification system for renal cyst lesions. Developed by radiologist Morton H. Bosniak and first introduced in 1986, with subsequent revisions, the system categorizes cystic renal lesions from I to IV based on imaging characteristics to help guide management and assess malignancy risk.

Etymology-wise, the name derives from Bosnia, the country most closely associated with the ethnic group. In sum, Bosniak can denote an ethnicity tied to Bosnia and Herzegovina, its language and culture, or a radiological grading system for kidney cysts.