Kivonultak

Kivonultak is the third-person plural past tense form of the Hungarian verb kivonulni, meaning to withdraw, retreat, or move away from a position. In English, it is commonly translated as “they withdrew” or “they retreated.” The form is frequently used in historical writing, military reporting, and narrative prose.

Etymology and morphology: The word is built from ki- meaning out and vonulni meaning to march or move in formation, conveying a withdrawal from a location or situation. The ending -ak marks the subject as third-person plural. Other related forms include kivonult, meaning “he/she/it withdrew,” and kivonultam, meaning “I withdrew.”

Usage and context: Kivonultak is used to describe organized or collective withdrawal, often in military or security contexts, but can also appear in non-military reporting or storytelling. Examples: “A hadsereg kivonult a frontvonalból” (The army withdrew from the front line). “A résztvevők kivonultak a tárgyalásról” (The participants withdrew from the negotiations). The term conveys a deliberate departure rather than a passive retreat.

Nuance: While typically referring to a retreat or withdrawal from a position, kivonultak can imply strategic safety, regrouping, or a formal exit from an engagement. Its use is largely dependent on context and can appear in news, history, or literary texts.

See also: kivonulás, vonulás, kivonulni.