felolvad

Felolvad is a Hungarian verb meaning to melt or thaw, describing the change of a solid substance into a liquid when heated. It is commonly used for ice, snow, chocolate, wax, and other materials that become liquid above their melting point. The word is formed with the prefix fel- added to the verb olvad (to melt), giving a sense of the onset or completion of the melting process. The infinitive form is felolvadni; felolvad is the finite form used in present or past contexts (e.g., a jég felolvadt).

In scientific contexts, melting is a first-order phase transition from solid to liquid driven by thermal energy. The temperature at which melting begins is the material’s melting point and can be influenced by pressure, impurities, and confinement. The energy required to complete melting is the enthalpy of fusion. Melting is relevant in geology (glacier and rock melting), meteorology (snowmelt), materials science, and various culinary and industrial processes.

Usage notes: felolvad typically describes natural or intentional melting due to heat, such as warm weather causing snow to melt or a heated substance turning to liquid. The term can also appear in figurative language to suggest a thawing of relations or rigidity, though such uses are less common and context-dependent. The past tense form of the verb is felolvadt.