Meanings
proper noun
- A historical region of Northern Europe, located to the north of Saint Petersburg and politically split between Russia and Finland.
- A republic and federal subject of Russia. Official name: Republic of Karelia. Capital: Petrozavodsk.
Origin
- Old SwedishKarelen
- FinnishKarjala
- Medieval LatinCarēlia
- EnglishKarelia
From Medieval Latin Carelia (akin to Russian Каре́лия (Karélija)), a Latinized form of Swedish Karelen. The Swedish word was probably mediated through Old Novgorodian Корѣла (Korěla), itself from the Finnic endonym (compare Finnish Karjala, which see for more).
More words from Medieval Latin, Swedish, zle-ono
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Basque Karelia
- Kareliaregion in Russia and Finland
Bulgarian Карелия
- Карелия (Karelija)region in Russia and Finland
Catalan Carèlia, Carèlia
- Carèliaregion in Russia and Finland
- Carèliaautonomous republic of Russia
Chinese Mandarin 卡累利阿
- 卡累利阿 (Kǎlèilì'ā)region in Russia and Finland
Czech Karélie
- Karélieregion in Russia and Finland
Danish Karelen, Karelske Republik
- Karelenregion in Russia and Finland
- Karelske Republikautonomous republic of Russia
- Karelenautonomous republic of Russia
- Østkarelenautonomous republic of Russia
- Fjernkarelenautonomous republic of Russia
Dutch Karelië, Karelië
- Kareliëregion in Russia and Finland
- Kareliëautonomous republic of Russia
Esperanto Karelio
- Karelioregion in Russia and Finland
Estonian Karjala
- Karjalaregion in Russia and Finland
Finnish Karjala, Karjalan tasavalta
- Karjalaregion in Russia and Finland
- Karjalan tasavaltaautonomous republic of Russia
French Carélie, Carélie
- Carélieregion in Russia and Finland
- Carélieautonomous republic of Russia
- République de Carélieautonomous republic of Russia
German Karelien, Republik Karelien
- Karelienregion in Russia and Finland
- Republik Karelienautonomous republic of Russia
- Karelienautonomous republic of Russia
Greek Καρελία
- Καρελία (Karelía)region in Russia and Finland
Hebrew קרליה
- קרליהregion in Russia and Finland
Hungarian Karélia
- Karéliaregion in Russia and Finland
Irish an Chairéil, an Chairéil
- an Chairéilregion in Russia and Finland
- an Chairéilautonomous republic of Russia
- Poblacht na Cairéileautonomous republic of Russia
Italian Carelia, Carelia
- Careliaregion in Russia and Finland
- Careliaautonomous republic of Russia
Japanese カレリア
- カレリア (Kareria)region in Russia and Finland
Korean 카렐리야
- 카렐리야 (karelliya)region in Russia and Finland
Latin Carelia
- Careliaregion in Russia and Finland
Latvian Karēlija, Karēlijas Republika
- Karēlijaregion in Russia and Finland
- Karēlijas Republikaautonomous republic of Russia
Lithuanian Karelija
- Karelijaregion in Russia and Finland
Norwegian Bokmål Karelen, Karelia
- Karelenregion in Russia and Finland
- Kareliaautonomous republic of Russia
- Republikken Kareliaautonomous republic of Russia
Polish Karelia, Karelia
- Kareliaregion in Russia and Finland
- Kareliaautonomous republic of Russia
- Republika Kareliiautonomous republic of Russia
Portuguese Carélia, República da Carélia
- Caréliaregion in Russia and Finland
- República da Caréliaautonomous republic of Russia
- Caréliaautonomous republic of Russia
Romanian Carelia, Carelia
- Careliaregion in Russia and Finland
- Careliaautonomous republic of Russia
- Republica Careliaautonomous republic of Russia
Russian Каре́лия, Каре́лия
- Каре́лия (Karélija)region in Russia and Finland
- Каре́лия (Karélija)autonomous republic of Russia
Scottish Gaelic Karelia
- Kareliaregion in Russia and Finland
Slovak Karelsko
- Karelskoregion in Russia and Finland
Spanish Carelia, Karelia
- Careliaregion in Russia and Finland
- Kareliaregion in Russia and Finland
- República de Careliaautonomous republic of Russia
- Careliaautonomous republic of Russia
Swedish Karelen, Carelen
- Karelenregion in Russia and Finland
- Carelenregion in Russia and Finland
- Kirjalalandregion in Russia and Finland
- Karelenautonomous republic of Russia
- Karelska republikenautonomous republic of Russia
Thai คาเรเลีย, คาเรเลีย
- คาเรเลีย (kaa-ree-liia)region in Russia and Finland
- คาเรเลีย (kaa-ree-liia)autonomous republic of Russia
Turkish Karelya
- Karelyaregion in Russia and Finland
Ukrainian Каре́лія
- Каре́лія (Karélija)region in Russia and Finland
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with Karelia
ameliaCeciliaCeliadeliaCordeliaOpheliapsychedelialobeliahaemophiliaphaceliaphiliaasphyxiophiliabromeliacimeliadysmeliainflatophiliaLaconophiliamicrophilia-philiaphocomeliaplushophiliasinsemillasirenomelia
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
Karelia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Karelia
MLA
“Karelia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Karelia. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Karelia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Karelia.
Source: Karelia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.