novac

Novac is the standard term for money in several South Slavic languages, including Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin. It denotes money in a general sense—the funds a person has or the financial resources available. It is not a name for a specific currency; currencies are identified separately within each country (for example, euro, dinar, kuna).

In everyday language and in formal writing, novac appears in common expressions such as zaraditi novac (to earn money) and potrošiti novac (to spend money). Related terms include novčanica for a banknote, kovanci for coins, novčanik for a wallet, and novčano sredstvo for monetary means. The adjective novčani is used to describe monetary or financial matters, as in novčani plan or novčana sredstva.

In different dialects, other words may be preferred for specific senses of money. For example, gotovina is often used to mean cash, while the coins and paper money themselves are referred to with terms like kovanci and novčanice. The etymology of novac is generally considered native to South Slavic languages, with cognates in related languages reflecting the central concept of money as a basic social and economic resource.

As a cultural and linguistic object, novac appears in discussions of wealth, budgeting, and economic policy, illustrating its central role in daily life and in broader social and financial contexts. See also: gotovina, novčanica, novčanik, kovanci, novčani. This overview notes general usage; language-specific details can vary by country and dialect.