Mantél

Mantél is a Hungarian loanword traditionally used to denote a long coat or overcoat. In contemporary Hungarian, the everyday term for such garments is kabát, so mantél is now mainly encountered in historical texts, literary contexts, or regional dialects. It may also appear in older translations from German or in fashion-writing that seeks a classical or stylistic register.

Etymology and cognates: Mantél derives from the German Mantel, which similarly means a coat. Cognates exist in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch mantel, which share the same basic meaning. In English, the cognate mantle has meanwhile acquired additional senses (for example, the fireplace surround or the Earth’s mantle), but these senses do not apply to the Hungarian mantél.

Usage: As a relic of older usage, mantél appears in historical fiction, archival documents, and some translated works. In modern standard Hungarian, mantél is rarely used outside of quotation marks to evoke a past era or in stylistic writing. When describing clothing in everyday language, speakers rely on kabát or hosszú kabát for a long coat.

See also: Mantel, Mantle, Coat, Overcoat.

Notes: Mantél should not be confused with scientific or architectural senses of mantle that exist in other languages. Its relevance today is primarily archival or literary, reflecting historical vocabulary rather than current everyday usage.