rámce

Rámce is the Czech and Slovak plural noun meaning frames or frameworks. The singular form is rámec. The term covers both physical frames that enclose or support an object and abstract structures that define boundaries, rules, or scope.

In its physical sense, rámec refers to objects that surround or stabilize something, such as a picture frame, window frame, or the structural frame of a building or vehicle. The plural rámce is used when speaking of several such frames. Diminutives exist as rámeček for a smaller frame.

In abstract usage, rámec denotes a system of rules, concepts, or boundaries that organize a domain. It appears in phrases such as legislativní rámec (legislative framework), časový rámec (time frame), operační rámec (operational framework), and politický rámec (political framework). The word is commonly combined with adjectives or other nouns to describe the scope or conditions of an activity, project, or policy.

Usage notes and related forms: the phrasal expression v rámci means within the framework of, highlighting the figurative sense of rámec. In Czech and Slovak, rámec is used across disciplines including art, architecture, law, and planning to indicate both tangible enclosures and conceptual boundaries. The term remains central to discussions of structure, boundaries, and contextual limits.