SZÉ

Szó is the Hungarian word for "word" or "speech." It denotes a unit of language, whether spoken or written, and can refer to a single lexical item or to language more generally. In everyday use, szó appears in discussions of words, quotations, and linguistic concepts. The plural form is szavak.

In Hungarian, szó serves as the root for several common compounds and terms. Examples include szótár (dictionary), szóhasználat (word usage), szóvicc (pun), and szótag (syllable). The expression szó szerint means "word for word" or literally, and the word functions as a productive base for many linguistic terms and explanations, such as meaning of words or word forms.

Phonology and orthography: In Hungarian orthography, the digraph sz represents the voiceless [s] sound, and the acute accent on ó marks a long vowel, yielding the pronunciation [soː]. Stress in Hungarian typically falls on the first syllable of a word, so szó is pronounced with emphasis on the first and only syllable. The word is a staple of language education, lexicography, and linguistic discussion due to its fundamental role in naming and analyzing linguistic units.

Beyond its basic meaning, szó is central to discussions of vocabulary, morphology, and syntax in Hungarian. It appears in dictionaries, grammar references, and language-learning materials as the prototypical example of a lexical unit. See also szótár, szótag, szóhasználat, and szó szerint.