Halottak

Halottak is a Hungarian term meaning the dead, used as a plural noun to refer to people who have died. The singular form is halott. In ordinary language, Halottak can denote deceased individuals collectively, and it also appears in phrases and titles related to death or remembrance.

Linguistically, halott is an adjective meaning dead, and halottak is formed by adding the plural suffix -ak to halott to denote multiple dead persons. The word is common in religious, cultural, and literary contexts in Hungarian.

In cultural and religious practice, Halottak napja (the Day of the Dead) is a significant observance in Hungary, closely associated with All Souls’ Day on November 2. On this day many people visit cemeteries, clean and decorate graves, and light candles to honor deceased relatives. This lighting tradition often produces a characteristic nighttime atmosphere in cemeteries. The nearby observance of Mindenszentek (All Saints’ Day) on November 1 also influences customs, with families sometimes visiting graves and remembering loved ones over the broader All Saints’ period.

In contemporary usage, the term Halottak appears in media, literature, and everyday speech to refer to the deceased in a neutral, descriptive way. It is commonly found in discussions of funerary practices, memorials, and discussions about death within Hungarian language sources.

See also Mindenszentek (All Saints’ Day) and Halottak napja (All Souls’ Day/Day of the Dead) for related contexts and dates in the Hungarian calendar.