zábav

Zábav is a Slavic lexical element tied to amusement and entertainment. In Czech and Slovak, the primary noun for this concept is zábava, which covers amusement, entertainment, or a social gathering. The root also appears in adjectives such as zábavný (entertaining, amusing) and in a range of compounds: zábavní průmysl (the entertainment industry), zábavné pořady (entertainment programs), zábavné činnosti (amusing activities). The form zábav is not normally used as a standalone noun in standard speech but is common as a morphemic stem inside words or in linguistic discussions.

In practice, zábava denotes activities and content intended to please, entertain, or amuse an audience. This includes theatre, music, film, games, festivals, nightlife, and other leisure activities. In media and culture, terms built on zábav describe content designed more for pleasure than for instruction or information, contrasting with educational or news-oriented discourse.

Etymology reflects a historical link to the idea of attracting or delighting attention; as a concept, zábava is central to discussions of leisure, culture, and mass media in Czech and Slovak contexts. It persists in everyday life as a key category of social activity and commercial product.

See also: zábava, zábavný, zábavní průmysl, zábavné pořady, zábavné činnosti.