szelet

Szelet is a Hungarian noun meaning a thin piece cut from something larger; in English, a slice, wedge, or segment. The word is used for edible portions as well as for any small portion separated from a whole. In everyday language and on menus, compound forms are common: kenyérszelet (slice of bread), sonkaszelet (slice of ham), sajtszelet (cheese slice). It can describe any portion separated from a whole, including non-food contexts.

Etymology: The term is native to Hungarian and is linked to the verb for cutting into pieces; together they form a concept of a piece taken from a whole. The plural is szeletek.

Usage: In recipes, instructions may call for “szeletelt hagyma” (sliced onion) or “szeletekre vágni” (to cut into slices). In culinary writing, it denotes thin slices favored for sandwiches, cold plates, or desserts. In non-culinary contexts, “szelet” names a segment of a larger dataset or a portion of a whole in figurative speech. The word is productive in forming compounds and appears in many everyday expressions.