gyilkos

Gyilkos is a Hungarian noun meaning a person who commits murder. It can also function as an attributive adjective indicating lethal or deadly character, as in gyilkos fegyver (deadly weapon). The related verb is gyilkolni (to kill) and the noun gyilkosság (murder). The word is native to Hungarian and is generally regarded as derived from gyilkolni, though its exact historical origin is not clearly established.

In usage, gyilkos denotes an individual responsible for homicide, ranging from a straightforward killer to a professional assassin in certain contexts. In law enforcement, journalism, and criminology, it is used in a neutral descriptive sense; in crime fiction or sensational reporting it can carry strong negative connotations. Compounds such as sorozatgyilkos (serial killer) are common in Hungarian.

The term forms part of a broader word family that includes gyilkosság, gyilkolni, and related phrases describing lethal acts or weapons. Because it names wrongdoing, speakers often opt for more formal circumlocutions in official prose, such as "az a személy, aki gyilkosságot követett el." See also: gyilkosság, gyilkolni, sorozatgyilkos.