Benyomat

Benyomat is a Hungarian noun meaning an imprint or impression created by pressing one surface against another. It can refer to a physical mark left on soft materials such as clay, wax, or fabric, as well as to the mark produced by stamping, sealing, or molding. The term can also describe a figurative impression—the lasting effect of an event, person, or work.

In practical use, benyomat appears in art, printing, and craftsmanship to describe the trace left by a stamp, seal, or mould. In printing and typography, the benyomat is the image transferred to paper. In archaeology or geology, impressions found in clay, sediment, or plaster may be described as benyomat of an object, reflecting its shape or texture.

Etymology and related terms: The word derives from the verb benyom, meaning “to press in,” with the suffix -at forming a noun. In Hungarian, benyomat is closely related to lenyomat, and the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, though lenyomat more often denotes a concrete imprint such as a stamp or fingerprint. Related words include ujlenyomat (fingerprint) and benyomás (an impression or feeling).

Usage notes: Benyomat can be used for both physical impressions and figurative ones, but for very concrete prints such as fingerprints, lenyomat or ujlenyomat may be preferred. The term emphasises the act of pressing and the resulting mark rather than the instrument that created it.