strah

Stra h is a noun used in several South Slavic languages, including Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, and Slovenian, to denote fear or dread. It describes the emotional response to perceived threat and can refer to both a general feeling of fear and a specific fearful reaction.

The term derives from a common Proto-Slavic root, with cognates found across related languages such as Russian страх, Polish strach, Czech strach, and Ukrainian страх. The shared etymology points to an ancient concept of danger and apprehension that spans the Slavic linguistic area.

In everyday language, str ah appears in phrases like the fear of something, or simply as a description of being afraid. It can express varying intensities, from mild unease to intense or paralyzing terror. In literature and media, the word often conveys suspense, danger, or a character’s mood and temperament.

From a cultural and psychological perspective, fear is a basic emotion that guides avoidance and protective behavior. The use of str ah in folk and literary contexts can reflect moral or social concerns, with traditional beliefs sometimes linking fear to supernatural or moral forces. In modern psychology, the concept aligns with fear and anxiety as responses to threat, with mechanisms that include cognitive appraisal and physiological arousal.

See also fear, anxiety, phobia.