Daugelis

Daugelis is a Lithuanian word that functions as a pronoun and determiner meaning “many” or “a large number.” It refers to a considerable portion of a defined group and is used when the exact quantity is unknown or not important. In sentences it commonly precedes a noun in the genitive plural, for example: “Daugelis žmonių sutiko pasiūlymą” (Many people agreed with the proposal). It can also be used with a following pronoun: “Daugelis jų” (Many of them).

Grammatically, daugelis denotes the size of a group within a broader set and typically accompanies a noun in genitive plural. The form “daugelio” is the genitive singular, used in constructions like “daugelio žmonių nuomonė” (the opinion of many people). In most contexts, the exact quantity is not stated, and the emphasis is on the idea that the group is large.

Usage nuance and synonyms: compared with daug, daugelis emphasizes a large but not entire portion of a group, whereas daugybė expresses a larger, more abundant quantity in more formal contexts. Related terms include gausus (abundant) and dalis (a part), which shift emphasis from overall size to proportion or subset.

Etymology and register: etymologically, the word is built from the stem daug- meaning “many” with the suffix -elis. It is common in both formal and informal Lithuanian and appears frequently in written and spoken language.