leg-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "leg"

Hungarian

Etymology

This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “Is this related to lesz (“to be [in future], to become”)?”

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈlɛɡ]

Prefix

leg-

(superlative-forming prefix) -est, most, -most. Forms the superlative mostly from comparative adjectives, forms already suffixed with -(a/e/o)bb (altogether functioning like a circumfix); occasionally from the lemma itself.
zöld (“green”) → zöldebb (“greener”) → legzöldebb (“greenest”)

Usage notes

The adjectives that form their superlative without the ‑(a/e/o)bb suffix, i.e. directly from the positive (lemma) form, are certain directional or locational adjectives:

felső (“top”) → legfelső (“topmost”)

belső (“inner”) → legbelső (“innermost”)

Other examples include legalsó, legkülső, legszélső, legelső, legutolsó, and leghátsó.

Some have an alternative form with ‑(a/e/o)bb, often with a different sense, like legfelsőbb bíróság (“Supreme Court”, as opposed to literal “topmost”).

If it is added to a phrase that is written in two words (e.g. életbe vágó, dicséretre méltó, figyelemre méltó, harcra kész, hasznot hajtó, szívhez szóló), their derivations with this suffix (and the terminal -bb) are to be written in one word: legéletbevágóbb, legdicséretreméltóbb, legfigyelemreméltóbb, legharcrakészebb, leghasznothajtóbb, legszívhezszólóbb.^[1]

Derived terms

Exceptionally with possessive-suffixed nouns

With adverbs of place, missing the comparative degree

With adverbs of time, sometimes missing the positive or the comparative degree

With other adverbs (some notable examples)

With adjectives (cases where -bb is omitted, optional, or unusually placed)

References

^ Section 128 in A magyar helyesírás szabályai, 12. kiadás (’The Rules of Hungarian Orthography, 12th edition’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2015. →ISBN

[1] Section 128 in A magyar helyesírás szabályai, 12. kiadás (’The Rules of Hungarian Orthography, 12th edition’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2015. →ISBN

[1]