povara

Povară is a feminine noun used in Romanian and in several South Slavic languages with a closely related meaning: burden, load, or weight. It can denote a physical burden, such as a heavy object carried on the shoulders, as well as a figurative burden, including responsibility, hardship, or emotional strain. In Romanian, povară figures prominently in everyday language and in literature as a way to express the weight one bears in life, work, or social obligations.

Etymology and distribution: Povară is generally considered to be of Slavic origin, with cognates appearing in Serbo-Croatian and related Balkan languages. The form has circulated into Romanian through long-standing cultural and historical contact. The term can appear with or without diacritics depending on orthographic conventions, and it pairs with verbs such as a purta povară (to bear the burden) or a suporta povară (to endure the burden).

Usage and nuance: The word carries connotations of gravity and consequence. It is used where the speaker intends to emphasize a load that constrains action, health, or well-being, as well as in metaphorical expressions about social or moral duties. In literary contexts, povară can be deployed to evoke themes of fate, responsibility, or collective hardship.

See also: burden, load, responsibility, hardship.