békék

Békék is the plural form of the Hungarian noun béke, meaning "peace." In ordinary speech, béke is typically treated as a mass noun and is used without a plural. The form békék appears mainly in formal, historical, or diplomatic contexts to refer to multiple peaces or to several peace agreements, or to different periods of peace. For example, phrases like "a békék megkötése" (the closing of peace treaties) or "a 19. századi békék" (the peace settlements of the 19th century) may occur in historical writing.

It is important not to confuse békék with békák, which is the plural of béka (frog). The two forms differ in meaning and in plural formation, and they are not interchangeable.

Etymology: the noun béke originates in medieval Hungarian. Its exact origin is uncertain; linguistic theories propose connections with Turkic or Slavic languages, as well as potential native Ugric development. There is no single consensus on its precise source, but béke has become a standard term for the concept of peace in modern Hungarian.

Usage notes: in contemporary Hungarian, béke is far more common in the singular as a general concept of peace. Béék is used sparingly and typically only in contexts dealing with multiple peaces, such as historical treaties or distinct periods of peace, rather than in everyday conversation.