Csekélyebb

Csekélyebb is a Hungarian comparative adjective derived from csekély, meaning small, scanty or negligible. It expresses a greater degree of smallness or insignificance when two or more things are compared. The word can be used attributively, before a noun (a csekélyebb összeg), or predicatively within a sentence (Az összeg csekélyebb volt a vártnál).

Etymology and formation: The form is a standard Hungarian comparative, built by adding the suffix -ebb (or -bb in other cases) to the stem csekély. The precise historical origins of csekély are debated among scholars, but csekélyebb is a natural and productive derivative in modern Hungarian, widely used across registers.

Usage: Csekélyebb denotes a smaller amount, lower intensity, or lesser significance relative to another reference point. It is commonly employed in formal and informal writing to emphasize a reduction or a weaker degree than previously observed. In many contexts it functions similarly to synonyms such as kevésbé jelentős, alacsonyabb vagy kisebb, depending on the nuance of the comparison. The word often appears in discussions of budgets, probabilities, resources, or expectations, where a measured decrease is being described.

Examples:

- A költségvetés csekélyebb volt, mint a tervezett.

- A tavalyi évhez képest a növekedés csekélyebb, de még mindig pozitív.

- A csekélyebb kockázat miatt a projektet folytatják.

See also: csekély, jelentős, kevésbé. The comparative form csekélyebb is widely understood in standard Hungarian and is appropriate in most formal and informal contexts.