köztudomású

Köztudomású is a Hungarian adjective meaning that something is widely known or generally accepted as public knowledge. It is used to label information or facts that are considered common awareness by a broad audience, often before presenting a claim or interpretation. The expression frequently appears in journalism, essays, and formal discourse, for example in phrases such as köztudomású tény (a fact widely known) or köztudomás szerint (according to widely known information).

Etymology and form: The word is built from köz, meaning public or common, and tudomás, meaning knowledge or awareness, with the adjectival suffix -ú. This construction yields an attributive meaning of “publicly known.” There is also a common adverbial construction köztudomás szerint, used to attribute a statement to general belief rather than a specific source.

Usage and nuances: Köztudomású is inherently a normative term; it signals that a claim should be taken as conventional wisdom or a baseline of understanding within a given community. Its use can lend authority or familiarity to a point, but it does not replace evidence or citation. In contemporary Hungarian, the expression is relatively formal and can sound pompous if overused or placed inappropriately in casual speech. It is not a substitute for proof and may be challenged if the supposed public knowledge is contested.