Strontium bismuth niobate vanadates SrBi2(V0.1Nb0.9)(2)O-9(SBVN) were prepared by solid state reaction sintering of high purity powder mixtures of constituent oxides. With the partial substitution of niobium by vanadium (10at.%), the single phase layered perovskite structure was preserved and the sintering temperature of SBVN was significantly reduced. Dielectric properties of SBVN were investigated in a broad range of temperatures (400-1000K) and frequencies (1 Hz-10MHz). Strong retaxor-like dielectric relaxation at the ferroelectric transition temperature was observed. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis were performed to envisage the influence of vanadium doping on the dielectric properties of SBN. The effect of post-sinter annealing on the frequency dispersion of SBVN and the possible mechanism for the observed dielectric relaxation are also presented. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.