többes

Többes is a Hungarian linguistic term referring to the plural form or the plural number in grammar. It denotes the category used to express more than one entity and is typically discussed alongside singular in linguistic descriptions. In everyday Hungarian, plurality is usually marked on nouns with the suffix -k and is reflected in agreement with adjectives and pronouns, so the concept of többes szám serves as a label for this grammatical phenomenon.

Etymology and sense: the word többes combines töb- meaning "more" with the suffix -es to form an adjective or noun describing quantity or form. In grammars, többes szám is the standard expression for the plural and contrasts with egyes szám, the singular. The term is primarily a tool of linguistic analysis rather than a separate morphological marker used in speech.

Usage: in scholarly and educational contexts, többes can occur as an adjective meaning "plural" or as a noun meaning "the plural form." It helps describe how language marks more than one referent. While Hungarian uses -k to signal many nouns (e.g., macska -> macskák, ember -> emberek), the concept of többes szám covers the broader idea of plurality across parts of speech and across languages in comparative grammar.

In summary, többes serves as the linguistic label for the plural number in Hungarian grammar, guiding explanation of how languages distinguish one or several referents. See also: egyes szám, többes szám.

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