opilý

Opilý is a Czech adjective meaning intoxicated or drunk, describing a person whose consumption of alcohol has impaired their physical or mental faculties. It is used in everyday speech, journalism and literature, and can also appear in more formal contexts when describing a state of intoxication. The word can be extended metaphorically, though its primary sense is literal.

Morphology and usage: The adjective agrees with the gender and number of the noun. Examples include opilý muž (drunk man), opilá žena (drunk woman), and opilé dítě (drunken child). In plural form: opilí muži, opilé ženy, opilé děti. The related noun opilec denotes a drunkard, often with a pejorative nuance, while opilost refers to drunkenness as a state. The verb forms associated with intoxication include opít se (to get drunk) and opít (to make someone drunk). The degree of intoxication can be described by podnapilý (slightly drunk) or opilý to a greater extent.

Etymology and related terms: Opilý derives from the verb opít se, with the typical Czech adjective suffix -lý. It is linked to the broader Slavic root related to drinking. Related words include opilost (drunkenness) and opilec (drunkard). Czech also uses phrases such as být pod vlivem alkoholu (to be under the influence of alcohol) in formal or legal contexts.

Usage note: Opilý is a neutral to standard descriptor in many contexts, but it can carry a pejorative tone when used about a person (as opposed to the more clinical term opilost). In legal or formal language, phrases emphasizing influence or impairment, such as pod vlivem alkoholu, are common.