Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
halvány. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
halvány, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
halvány in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
halvány you have here. The definition of the word
halvány will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
halvány, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Hungarian
Etymology
First attested in 1485. From hal (“to die”) + -vány (noun-forming suffix). The original meaning was a noun, “backwater, swamp formed in a dead water”. The adjective senses developed via attributive usage.[1]
Pronunciation
Adjective
halvány (comparative halványabb, superlative leghalványabb)
- faint (barely perceptible; not bright, or loud, or sharp)
- Antonyms: élénk, erőteljes, harsány
- A távolban halvány vörös fény világított. ― There was a faint red light in the distance.
- pale (light in color)
- Sokáig beteg volt, azért ilyen halvány. ― She was sick for a long time, that's why she's so pale.
- A gyerekek szobája halvány rózsaszínre volt festve. ― The children's room was painted pale pink.
- (figurative, of movement) faint (barely perceptibly small, languid, weak, gentle)
- Synonyms: kis, bágyadt, gyenge, gyengéd
- halvány mosoly ― faint smile
- (figurative, of thoughts or feelings) faint, vague
- Halvány fogalmam sincs, hogy hova tettem a kulcsomat. ― I haven’t the vaguest idea where I put my key.
- Csak halvány reményem van, hogy kiadják a könyvemet. ― I only have a faint hope that my book will be published.
- (figurative, literary, of work or performance) weak, lackluster, poor
- Synonym: gyenge
- A csapat halvány teljesítményt nyújtott az edzésen. ― The team gave a poor performance during training.
Declension
Derived terms
References
- ^ halvány in Károly Gerstner, editor, Új magyar etimológiai szótár [New Etymological Dictionary of Hungarian] (ÚESz.), Online edition (beta version), Budapest: MTA Research Institute for Linguistics / Hungarian Research Centre for Linguistics, 2011–2024.
Further reading
- halvány in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN