Znikomy

Znikomy is a Polish adjective used to describe something that is extremely small in amount, size, or importance. It signals that the subject is barely noticeable or scarcely significant. The term is common in formal or written contexts, such as reports, analyses, and scientific writing, but it can also appear in everyday speech when emphasizing a minimal scale.

Grammatically, znikomy agrees with the noun it modifies in gender and number. It is often used to characterize percentages, shares, results, or quantities, and it is synonymous with nieznaczny, minimalny, or marginalny in many contexts. Antonyms include znaczący, istotny, and poważny. Because it conveys a negative evaluation of scale or impact, it is typically employed when a more neutral or cautious tone is desired.

Examples of usage:

- Zysk okazał się znikomy.

- Wynik badania był znikomy w porównaniu z oczekiwaniami.

Etymology and typology:

Znikomy is a native Polish adjective formed with a prefix that intensifies the notion of smallness. It is primarily used in descriptive and evaluative prose and is considered formal or semi-formal in tone. It does not function as a noun or adverb, and its meaning remains stable across standard Polish usage.

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