svazek

Svazek is a word used in Czech and Slovak with several related senses centered on the idea of binding or grouping together. In everyday language it denotes a bundle or sheaf of objects bound or tied together, for example svazek klíčů (a bundle of keys) or svazek papírů (a stack or bundle of papers). It can also refer to a single volume of a multi‑volume work, as in the libraries and publishing: první svazek, druhý svazek (the first or second volume) within an edition.

In plant anatomy, svazek designates a vascular bundle, the grouping of transport tissues such as xylem and phloem within a stem or leaf. The term extends to other contexts where items are bundled, such as svazek kabelů (a bundle of cables or wires) or svazek vláken (a bundle of fibers).

Etymologically, svazek derives from the root svaz- meaning a bond or tie, combined with the diminutive suffix -ek, producing a noun that denotes a bound collection rather than a general act of binding. The word is closely related to svaz, meaning a union or association, sharing the same linguistic origin but used in different grammatical senses.

The principal senses of svazek thus include a bound collection of physical objects, a volume of a multi‑part publication, and a biological term for a bundle of vessels in plants. Usage varies by region and discipline, but the core idea remains binding or grouping.