svaté

Svatý is a Czech adjective meaning "holy" or "saint‑like". It is used to describe persons, objects, or places that are considered sacred or associated with a Christian saint. In noun phrases it precedes the name, as in svatý Jan (“Saint John”) or svatý Mikuláš (“Saint Nicholas”).

The word derives from the Proto‑Slavic *svętъ, related to the Old Church Slavonic свѣтъ, meaning “holy” or “pure”. In Czech, svatý declined as a second declension adjective: svatý, svatá, svaté, svatých, svatým. The masculine singular nominative is svatý, feminine is svatá, neuter svaté.

In everyday Czech, svatý appears in compound terms and idioms such as svatý pokoj (“holy room”) or svatý běžek (“holy day”, a term for a holiday). It is also employed in liturgical titles, for example svatý šestý den (“Holy Saturday”) and svatý půlnoc (“Eve of St. Wenceslaus”).

When part of a proper name, the word is capitalized. For example, the surname Svatý occurs among Czech families, and place names often contain it, such as Svatý Odrasý (a small village) or Svatý Kamil. Many towns in the Czech lands have a parish church dedicated to a particular saint, and their names receive the adjective, e.g., Svatý Jan Vysoký.

In other West Slavic languages, the cognate forms are common. Slovak uses svätý, Slovene uses sveti, and Polish uses święty, all sharing the same etymological root and similar religious connotations.

The term svatý is firmly rooted in Czech cultural and religious life, appearing in literature, folk songs, and official church documents, reflecting its enduring association with holiness and sanctity.