Ellentéte

Ellentéte is a Hungarian term that denotes the opposite or antithesis of a given thing. In linguistic usage, it refers to a word's antonym; in philosophy and rhetoric, it describes opposing ideas or principles, and in everyday speech it can label contrasts or binary relations. The concept is widely used in linguistic description as a way to map contrasts within a language.

In dictionaries and language guides, ellentéte is used to identify the opposite of a word. For example, the ellentéte of "nagy" (big) is "kicsi" (small), and the ellentéte of "jó" (good) is "rossz" (bad).

Beyond vocabulary, the idea functions as a tool for analyzing how opposing forces shape meaning, judgment, and action. It is common in discussions of dualities such as light and dark, hot and cold, or order and chaos, and it can be applied to values, theories, and social roles.

In literary analysis, describing a character, theme, or argument in terms of its ellentéte can highlight contrasts and tensions that drive narrative or persuasive effect. While the core sense remains straightforward, contexts can broaden the term to include relational or functional opposites, rather than mere synonyms or negations.

See also antonym, antithesis, opposition, Hungarian language.