elhalálozott

Elhalálozott is a Hungarian term formed as the past participle of the verb elhalálozni, meaning to die or pass away. In standard usage it functions as an adjective meaning “the deceased,” and can be used attributively before a noun (for example, az elhalálozott férfi) or as a nominalized form referring to a person who has died. The word is common in obituaries, formal notices, and official documents, where a more neutral tone is desired than the everyday meghalt or elhunyt.

Etymology and grammar: elhalálozott combines halál (death) with the prefix el- and the participial -ott, producing a past participle that denotes a completed action. It agrees with the noun it modifies in number and gender, and it can appear in various grammatical cases as part of a noun phrase. While it shares semantic space with meghalt and elhunyt, its use is more formal and impersonal.

Usage and nuance: In everyday language, meghalt (died) and elhunyt (deceased) are more common and direct. Elhalálozott is preferred in obituaries, legal texts, and bureaucratic language where a restrained, ceremonial register is desired. It emphasizes the event of dying as a completed past action and functions primarily as an antonym to the living.

See also: meghalt, elhunyt, halál, elhalálozás.