Elnyeldés

Elnyeldés is a Hungarian noun whose meaning varies with context. In everyday language it often refers to swallowing, i.e., deglutition, the coordinated sequence that moves material from the mouth through the throat and into the esophagus. In scientific and technical usage, elnyeldés denotes absorption—the uptake or capture of energy, particles, or waves by a material, which reduces the intensity of radiation or matter transmitted or reflected by the medium.

The etymology points to the verb nyelni (to swallow) combined with the prefix el- and the nominalizing suffix -dés, producing a term that covers both the act of swallowing and the broader notion of absorption depending on field.

In physiology, swallowing involves three phases: the oral phase (voluntary preparation and transport of the bolus), the pharyngeal phase (involuntary propulsion while safeguarding the airway), and the esophageal phase (peristaltic movement into the stomach). The process is controlled by neural centers in the brainstem and requires coordinated action of the tongue, soft palate, larynx, and esophageal muscles. Dysfunctions in swallowing are referred to as nyelési zavar or dysfágia and can lead to choking or aspiration.

In physics and chemistry, elnyeldés describes how a substance absorbs energy or particles. Quantitative descriptions include absorption coefficients and, for electromagnetic radiation, the Beer–Lambert law, which relates absorption to path length and concentration. Materials’ colors arise from selective absorption of certain wavelengths. Applications span optics, spectroscopy, environmental science, and radiative transfer studies.

See also: deglutition, absorption (physics), spectroscopy, nyelési zavar.