csepp

Csepp is a Hungarian noun meaning a small drop of liquid, such as a single bead of water, a tear, or another liquid. The word denotes a discrete, rounded portion that has separated from a larger body of liquid. It is used widely in everyday language and appears in many compound terms, such as vízcsepp (water droplet), esőcsepp (raindrop), and cseppnyi mennyiség (a tiny amount). The plural form is cseppek.

In grammatical use, csepp is a countable noun. It can be used with numerals, as in egy csepp víz, and it forms compounds with adjectives or other nouns to describe the type of droplet (for example, esőcsepp, vízcsepp, cseppnyi). The word can refer to droplets from liquids other than water, as well as to metaphorical uses describing a small amount or trace.

Etymology: The term is native to Hungarian; its precise historical origins are not clearly documented in standard references.

See also: vízcsepp, esőcsepp, cseppnyi.