leg-

See also: leg, lég, lèg, -leg, and leg.

Hungarian

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [ˈlɛɡ]

Prefix

leg-

  1. (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
  • leges-
  • Category:Hungarian superlative adjectives
Exceptionally with possessive-suffixed nouns
  • legalja
  • legbelseje
  • legeleje
  • legfeneke
  • legjava
  • legkezdete
  • legközepe
  • leglényege
  • legmélye
  • legszéle
  • legteteje
  • legvége
With adverbs of place, missing the comparative degree
With adverbs of time, sometimes missing the positive or the comparative degree
  • legelőször
  • legkorábban
  • legtovább
  • legutoljára
  • legvégül
With other adverbs (some notable examples)
With adjectives (cases where -bb is omitted, optional, or unusually placed)

See also
  • Appendix:Hungarian prefixes

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