csaló

Csaló is a Hungarian noun meaning a person who cheats or commits fraud, and it also functions as an adjective meaning fraudulent. As a noun, the word refers to someone who deceives others to gain money, goods, or other advantages, often through misrepresentation or manipulation. In everyday language, a csalo is considered untrustworthy. The plural form is csalók, and the term is commonly gender-neutral in usage.

Origin and morphology: It comes from the verb csal meaning to deceive, with the agent suffix -ó creating csaló, “one who deceives.”

Legal and societal context: In Hungarian criminal law, csalás denotes fraud or deception intended to gain property or services. A person who commits such deception is described as a csalo. Punishments depend on the value involved and the circumstances, and csalás can appear in civil or criminal cases regarding fraud, misrepresentation, or scams.

Usage and examples: Csalók frequently appear in discussions of consumer protection, online scams, and white-collar crime. The term is also used in journalism and police reports to identify perpetrators.

See also: Fraud; Con artist; Deception.