átok

Átok is Hungary’s term for a curse or malediction, a belief that harmful wishes or forces can be directed at a person, a household, a place, or an object. In traditional Hungarian folklore and language, an átok is typically believed to be conveyed through spoken words, incantations, or ritual actions, and its effects are thought to bring misfortune, illness, or other forms of harm.

In discourse and folklore, the act of cursing is called átkozás, and a person who curses can be described as átkozó. The target of an átok is often called átkozott. Curses are depicted as intentional acts by individuals such as witches, envious neighbors, or others who wield social or magical power, though many regional tales present curses as the result of moral transgression or revenge.

Folklore surrounding átok includes a range of beliefs about how curses operate and how they may be countered or broken. Protective responses frequently appear in folklore and practice, such as blessings from religious authorities, the use of talismans or holy objects, cleansing or purification rites, and the performance of specific rituals or prayers. Although these notions persist in literature, proverbs, and popular culture, they vary considerably between communities and over time.

In modern contexts, átok is mainly treated as a cultural and literary concept rather than a proven supernatural mechanism. Scholars of folklore, anthropology, and religious studies study its role in social norms, ethics, storytelling, and ritual practice, illustrating how curses function as symbolic tools in cultural imagination and social regulation.