diák

Diák is a Hungarian noun meaning a person who is enrolled in an educational institution and actively studying. The term is commonly used for pupils and students at various levels, including primary, secondary, and often higher education, although its precise scope can vary by context. In everyday language, diák often implies belonging to the school community and a youth identity, whereas tanuló is a more general term for a learner and hallgató refers specifically to a university student. The distinction is subtle and the two terms are frequently interchangeable in casual use, but diák carries a more school-life oriented nuance.

In modern Hungarian, diák is neutral and widely used in both informal speech and formal writing about education and student life. It appears in many compound expressions tied to students, such as diákigazolvány (student ID card), diákkedvezmény (student discount), and diákmunka (student part-time work). The term also features in phrases describing the student community and activities, for example diákélet (student life) and diákköri (student society or competition) activities at universities.

Etymology of diák is not entirely certain; the word emerged in the modern period and its precise linguistic roots are debated, with various speculative connections to Latin and other European languages for pupil or student.