Alsó

Alsó is a Hungarian toponymic element meaning “lower” or “downstream” and is commonly used in geographic names to distinguish settlements or parts of settlements that lie in a lower position relative to another with a similar name. It is frequently paired with Felső, meaning “upper,” to reflect a spatial or elevation-based distinction between nearby places.

In Hungarian place names, Alsó often indicates a relationship to a higher or upstream counterpart, or to a different part of a valley, hill, or watercourse. The term functions as a descriptive prefix within the official name rather than as a separate administrative category in most cases. Because it is a generic descriptor, many places in Hungary use Alsó as part of their name, typically accompanied by a second element that specifies the exact locality.

A well-known example is Alsóörs, a village on the northern shore of Lake Balaton in Veszprém County. It has a close contemporary counterpart named Felsőörs nearby, illustrating the common upper/lower pairing found in Hungarian toponymy. Beyond such pairs, Alsó can occur in various longer place names and sometimes appears in historical or regional contexts as well.

Overall, Alsó reflects a common naming convention in Hungary that uses physical or geographic position to differentiate neighboring communities.