vlak

From Dutch vlak, from Middle Dutch vlac, from Old Dutch *flak, from Proto-Germanic *flakaz.

• IPA^(key): /flak/

vlak (attributive vlak, comparative vlaker, superlative vlakste)

1. flat, level, even
2. shallow

vlak (plural vlakke)

1. plane, surface
2. (figurative) domain, area, sphere of interest
3. level, elevation
4. (in animal compounds): plain

Inherited from Old Czech vlak, from Proto-Slavic *volkъ. Derived from vláčet (“tow, haul”), calque of German Zug.

• IPA^(key): [ˈvlak]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: vlak
• Rhymes: -ak

vlak m inan (relational adjective vlakový, diminutive vláček)

1. train

• “vlak”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “vlak”, in Lingea (in Czech), 2025
• “vlak”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “vlak”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

• IPA^(key): /vlɑk/
• Hyphenation: vlak
• Rhymes: -ɑk

From Middle Dutch vlac, from Old Dutch *flak, from Proto-Germanic *flakaz.

vlak (comparative vlakker, superlative vlakst)

1. flat, plane

   Synonym: plat

• Afrikaans: vlak

vlak n (plural vlakken, diminutive vlakje n)

1. (literally) a plain, a flat surface
2. (figuratively) a domain, sphere, field of interest
3. (nautical) a flat bottom, the flat-bottomed section of a hull

• Afrikaans: vlak

vlak

1. straight, immediately, just

   De Aardes natuurlijke satelliet, de Maan, moet vlak na de vorming van de Aarde zijn ontstaan.

   Earth's natural satellite, the Moon, must have arisen just after the formation of the Earth.

alternative form of vlek

vlak f (plural vlakken, diminutive vlakje n)

1. a spot, soiled mark

vlak

1. inflection of vlakken:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

• valk

Borrowed from Czech vlak, itself calqued after German Zug.

• IPA^(key): /ʋlâːk/

vlȃk m inan (Cyrillic spelling вла̑к)

1. (Croatia) train

   Synonym: (Bosnia, Serbia) vȏz

• “vlak”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *volkъ.

• IPA^(key): [vlak]

vlak m inan (relational adjective vlakový, diminutive vláčik)

1. train (line of connected cars or carriages)

• “vlak”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

Borrowed from Czech vlak, itself calqued after German Zug.

• IPA^(key): /ʋláːk/

vlȃk m inan

1. train (line of connected cars or carriages)

• “vlak”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2025