bój

Bój is a Polish noun meaning battle, combat, or clash between opposing armed forces or individuals. It can refer to a military engagement of any scale, from a single duel to a major campaign, and is commonly found in historical and literary contexts. In everyday language, synonyms such as walka (fight) or starcie (clash) are more common, while bój carries a somewhat formal or historic tone. The plural boje denotes multiple battles; the singular bój describes a single encounter.

Etymology and cognates: Bój derives from Proto-Slavic *bojъ and has cognates in several Slavic languages, such as Russian boj, Czech boj. The Polish spelling with ó marks a long vowel; the pronunciation involves a long mid back vowel and a final consonant that sounds like j. The noun gives rise to the adjective bojowy meaning "combat-related" or "military."

Usage: In modern Polish, bój appears mainly in historical narratives and literature about warfare. The construction boj o [coś] expresses a struggle or fight for something, e.g., boj o niepodległość (the fight for independence).

See also: bitwa, walka, starcie, bojowy.