kiváló

Kiváló is a Hungarian adjective meaning "excellent" or "outstanding." It describes high quality, merit, or superior characteristics of persons, objects, or performances. It is widely used in everyday speech as well as in formal writing and can modify a noun (kiváló minőségű termékek) or occur predicatively (Ez a gyümölcs kiváló).

Etymology: The word is derived from the verb kiválasztani (to select, to pick out) with the suffix -ó, yielding a sense of "chosen" or "selected." In modern usage kiváló has come to denote exceptional quality more generally.

Usage: Common collocations include kiváló minőségű (of excellent quality), kiváló teljesítmény (outstanding performance), and kiváló szakember (an excellent professional). The adverb kiválóan means "excellently," as in A csapat kiválóan teljesített (The team performed excellently).

Nuance and synonyms: Near-synonyms include kitűnő, remek, nagyszerű. Kiváló often conveys a higher level of quality or achievement than jó, and it is common in product descriptions, reviews, and praise. It tends to be neutral to formal in tone and is widely understood across Hungarian-speaking contexts.

Grammatical notes: As an adjective, kiváló agrees with the noun in number and case (kiváló minőségéű termék vs. kiváló minőségű termékek). The adverbial form is kiválóan, used to modify verbs or clauses.