likovna

Likovna is an adjective used in several South Slavic languages, including Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, and Slovenian, meaning visual or pertaining to the visual arts. It appears in phrases such as likovna umjetnost (visual arts), likovna kultura (visual culture), and likovna nastava (art education). The adjective has gendered forms: likovna (feminine), likovni (masculine), and likovno (neuter), matching the gender of the noun it modifies.

Originating from the root lik- meaning image or likeness, likovna is formed with the adjectival suffix -ovni to yield the various gendered forms. This root is common in terms related to representation and depiction.

In education, likovna nastava refers to art classes at primary and secondary schools, covering drawing, painting, sculpture, design, and related practices. In cultural discourse, likovna kultura denotes the practical and theoretical aspects of visual representation, while likovna umjetnost names the broader field of visual arts. The term also appears in phrases describing specific works, such as likovno djelo (a visual work) or likovni izraz (visual expression).

Regional usage spans Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Slovenian-speaking communities. In English, the closest equivalents are visual arts or visual culture.