novi

Novi is a word found in several South Slavic languages, where it means "new." It functions as an adjective and appears frequently in place names and other proper nouns, reflecting a designation of novelty or a newer part of a settlement.

In toponymy, novi is a common element used to indicate a newer settlement or extension alongside an older one. Notable examples include Novi Sad in Serbia, a major city whose name translates to “new orchard” (sad meaning orchard). Another example is Novi Beograd, meaning “New Belgrade,” a municipality of Belgrade established in the mid-20th century. Novi Pazar is a city in the Raška region of Serbia; here "Pazar" denotes a marketplace, so the name can be understood as “new market.”

In Croatia, Novi Vinodolski is a coastal town whose name means “New Vinodol,” referring to the historic Vinodol region. Across the region, novi appears in various other toponyms, reflecting a historical practice of designating a newer part of a district, town, or feature.

Linguistically, novi is the masculine singular form of the adjective meaning "new" in standard Serbo-Croatian languages, with feminine and neuter forms such as nova and novo, and with different plural forms depending on gender and number. The root appears in related languages and is used beyond geography to convey modernity or newness in everyday language, literature, and branding.

Overall, novi serves as a common semantic thread in Balkan toponymy and language, signaling freshness, recent establishment, or a newer section within a locality.