nyomokban

Nyomokban is a Hungarian adverb meaning in traces or to a small extent. It is used to indicate that something exists or is true only in a limited or barely detectable way. The phrase is common in scientific, forensic, and environmental writing, but it also appears in everyday language to soften a claim by specifying that evidence or presence is minimal.

Etymology: Nyomokban derives from the noun nyom, meaning trace or mark, with the locative suffix -ban, forming a fixed expression that literally conveys “in traces.” The construction is typically combined with adjectives or verbs to describe the degree of presence or evidence.

Usage: The expression often accompanies qualifiers such as kimutatható (detectable), fellelhető (found), or létező (existing). Common formations include nyomokban kimutatható, nyomokban fellelhető, and nyomokban létező, used to convey that the phenomenon or substance is not widespread but appears in minor amounts or signs. In non-special contexts, nyomokban can soften statements about uncertain or incomplete information.

Examples:

- A levegőben nyomokban kimutatható volt a szennyező anyag. (The pollutant was detectable in trace amounts in the air.)

- A bizonyíték csak nyomokban maradt fenn. (The evidence remained only in traces.)

- A jelenséget nyomokban észlelték a szakértők. (Experts detected the phenomenon only in traces.)

See also: nyom, nyomattal, nyom nélkül, nyomát sem találni.