Baltics

of, near, or on the baltic sea.
of or relating to the baltic states.
of or relating to a group of languages, as latvian, lithuanian, and old prussian, that const-tute a branch of the indo-european family.
the baltic branch of the indo-european family of languages.
contemporary examples

a stint in the baltics, where he learned russian, prepared him for his big break.
george kennan by john lewis gaddis: a review jacob heilbrunn december 8, 2011

gastonia, st. pete, great baltics cruise, hannity tonight—d-mn i’m good.
runaway governor: the sequel kathleen parker june 22, 2009

he wants the baltics and finland and poland and “alaska will be returned,” he writes, “because all these lands are russian.”
putin’s dream of empire doesn’t stop at crimea, or even ukraine oleg shynkarenko march 22, 2014

plural noun
the baltics, another name for the baltic states
adjective
denoting or relating to the baltic sea or the baltic states
of, denoting, or characteristic of baltic as a group of languages
(brit, informal) extremely cold
noun
a branch of the indo-european family of languages consisting of lithuanian, latvian, and old prussian
short for baltic sea
also called baltic exchange. an international market for shipbrokers in the city of london: formerly housed in the baltic exchange building which was demolished after terrorist bomb damage in 1992

1580s, from medieval latin balticus, perhaps from lithuanian baltas “white” or scandinavian balta “straight” (in reference to its narrow entranceway). in german, it is ostsee, literally “east sea.”