Elterül

Elterül is a Hungarian verb meaning to spread out, to extend, or to lie over a surface. It is commonly used to describe how physical matter occupies space, such as fog spreading across a valley, fields stretching toward the horizon, or vegetation carpeting a hillside. It can also be used metaphorically to describe the dissemination of influence, information, or effects across a region. The term is neutral in tone and suitable for descriptive writing and general usage.

Form and etymology: Elterül is formed with the prefix el- attached to terülni, the root meaning to lie or to spread. The base terül appears in related forms such as terül (present stem) and terülés (spread, extent); the el- prefix adds a sense of outward spread or completion. In typical Hungarian usage, elterül follows standard verb conjugation patterns, with present, past, and participial forms adapting to person and mood.

Usage notes: The verb describes expansive phenomena that occupy space or extend across surfaces. It is common in geographic, meteorological, or descriptive writing about landscapes, weather phenomena like fog or clouds, rivers, and vegetation. It can also apply to the spread of information or influence, though such uses are often more formal or literary. Example sentences include: "A köd elterült a völgye felett" (The fog spread over the valley) and "A hír elterült az egész országban" (The news spread across the entire country).

See also: elterülés (the act or process of spreading) and terülni (to lie, to spread) as related forms.