bolesna

Bolesna is a feminine singular form of an adjective used in several Slavic languages to describe illness or pain, often translated as “sick” or “ill” in English. It typically modifies feminine nouns, as in phrases like bolesna žena (a sick woman) or Ona je bolesna (She is ill). The corresponding masculine form is bolestan and the neuter form bolesno.

In the most widely spoken traditions that use this word, such as Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, and Slovenian, the common ancestral form appears as bolestan (masculine), with bolesna serving as the feminine counterpart and bolesno as the neuter. The term is widely understood in medical and everyday contexts to indicate illness, but its exact sense can vary by language and nuance, from general sickness to a more specific condition described as painful or debilitating.

Etymologically, bolesna derives from a root related to pain and disease, present across many Slavic languages. This root also yields related words such as bolestan, bolest (illness), and bolesno, illustrating a shared semantic field around harm, disease, and discomfort. While related languages often share the same root, the precise usage and connotations of bolesna can differ, reflecting each language’s vocabulary and medical terminology.

See also: bolestan, bolest, bolesno, bolesny.