dolní

Dolní is a Czech-language toponymic element meaning "lower." It is widely used as an adjective in place names in the Czech Republic and, in Slovak contexts, as Dolný. In Czech geography, Dolní typically designates a lower part of a settlement, a section of a village, or a locality situated downstream along a river or at a lower elevation, especially in relation to a neighboring "Horní" (upper) settlement. The pairing Dolní and Horní reflects historical settlement patterns and landscape features, often indicating that two adjacent communities formed along a valley or hillside with one at a higher position.

As a component of official names, Dolní is capitalized as the first element of a toponym and appears in postal addresses and administrative records. In many cases it forms the whole name of a municipality (Dolní [X]), while in others it remains a descriptive part of a longer compound name (Dolní [X]). The prefix can also be found in historical district or cadastral designations, where it signals relative location within a larger area.

Etymology: Dolní originates from the Czech dolní, meaning "lower" or "bottom," derived from a Proto-Slavic root related to low position in space. In Slovak the corresponding form is Dolný.

See also: Horní; lists of places containing Dolní as a prefix. The term is not a single place but a common toponymic element used across many Czech and Slovak localities.