imenovati

Imenovati is a verb used in several South Slavic languages, including Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian. It means to name, designate, or appoint. The term can refer to giving a name to a person, place, or thing, or to appointing someone to a position or role. In official or legal contexts, imenovati is commonly used to indicate appointment to a post; in everyday speech it can also mean simply to name or designate.

Etymology and related forms: The word comes from the noun ime meaning “name” and the verb-forming suffix -ovati, with roots in Proto-Slavic. Related forms include imenovanje (designation or appointment) and the passive or adjectival imenovan, meaning named or designated.

Usage notes: The verb is regular in its standard varieties and follows the typical -ovati conjugation patterns. It generally requires a direct object for the person or thing being named or appointed and is often accompanied by a complement specifying the role or designation, for example: imenovati nekoga za ministra (to appoint someone as minister); imenovati novog direktora (to name a new director).

Examples:

- Vlada je imenovala novog ministra finansija. (The government has appointed a new minister of finance.)

- Kompanija je imenovala Ivana za direktora. (The company named Ivan as director.)

See also: ime, imenovanje, imenovan.