pokoli

Pokoli is a Hungarian adjective meaning "hellish" or "infernal." It is derived from the noun pokol, which means hell, with the suffix -i forming an adjective. The word is common in standard Hungarian and is used to intensify descriptions of conditions, tasks, or experiences.

Usage is typically before a noun, as in pokoli hideg (extremely cold) or pokoli munka (hellish work). It can also appear in predicative position in informal speech, for example, "A nap pokoli volt" (The day was hellish). The term carries a strong emotional charge and can be hyperbolic or humorous depending on context. It functions as a vivid intensifier rather than a literal statement about the afterlife.

In cultural contexts, pokoli is frequently found in literature, media, and everyday speech to convey extreme difficulty, danger, or discomfort. It is chosen for its expressive impact when more neutral descriptors would be insufficient. While it is primarily a descriptive adjective, it can also appear in fixed phrases or set expressions that emphasize severity.

The word is not typically used as a proper noun; when capitalized or used as a name, it would refer to a title or specific label rather than the ordinary adjective. Related terms include pokol (hell) and phrases built from that root to describe severe conditions in Hungarian.