nő

nő¹ to grow

Pronunciation

• [ˈnøː]^[1]

Forms

nő^[1]

Etymology

The verb meaning “to grow” is of unknown origin.^[2][3][1] ÚESz and Zaicz think it probably belongs to the oldest layer of the Hungarian vocabulary.^[2][3] Its stem variants (⟨nő-⟩, ⟨növ-⟩, ⟨nev-⟩, and dialect ⟨nől⟩) are explained partly by an original stem-final labial spirant and partly by later sound changes and analogy, as in fő “to cook” and lő.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The verb is first recorded in the Jókai Codex, a text written after 1372 and copied about 1448, as newnekuala “they were growing”, in the sense “to become larger or taller, to develop”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Besides growing in size the verb meant “to become more important” from the start.^[2] The sense “to grow together with something, become one with it” (vmihez nő, összenő) is recorded from Szenczi Molnár's dictionary of 1604; from it comes the figurative sense of becoming deeply attached to a place or person.^[2][4]

The early derivatives are növekedik (Vienna Codex, after 1416) and növendék “young, growing” (1562), which later meant “pupil, ward” (1590) and “sapling” (1667); növeszt (1790) and növel (1808) belong to the age of the language reform.^[2][3] The doubled form nőttön-nő “keeps on growing” is recorded from 1794.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 1448 – newnekuala “they were growing” in the Jókai Codex (text written after 1372).^[2]
• c. 1450 – nèvèkedic (növekedik) in the Vienna Codex (text written after 1416).^[2]
• 1562 – növendék “young, growing”.^[2]
• 1604 – “to grow together with something”, in Szenczi Molnár's dictionary.^[2]
• 1646 – növni with the stem növ-.^[2]
• 1664 – the variant nől.^[2]
• 1790 – növeszt “to let grow”.^[2][3]
• 1794 – nőttön-nő “keeps on growing”.^[2]
• 1808 – növel “to increase”.^[2][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. Of a living being: to grow, become bigger as it develops: Gyorsan nő a gyerek.^[4][1]
2. Of a plant: to sprout and grow; to grow somewhere: A kertben fű nő.; of a part of the body, to form and develop.^[4]
3. To grow together with something (hozzánő, összenő); figuratively, to become deeply attached to a place or person.^[4]
4. Of a thing, number or quantity: to increase, grow larger: Nő a forgalom.^[4][1]
5. Of a state or movement: to grow stronger or more important; of a person, to grow in stature or esteem.^[4]

Word family

• növekedik
• növekszik
• növendék
• növeszt
• növel
• növény
• növés
• nevel
• felnő
• megnő
• kinő

nő² woman

Pronunciation

• [ˈnøː]^[1]

Forms

nő (plural nők)^[1]

Etymology

The noun meaning “woman” is inherited from Proto-Uralic *niŋä (“woman; female”), a word inherited from the Uralic period.^{[2][3][5][6][1]} Its cognates are Mansi nī, Khanty ni, Erzya ńi, Northern Sami njiŋŋalâs (“female animal”), Tundra Nenets ńe and Selkup neä, and a Kamassian word ⟨nē⟩.^[2][6][7] A Komi form found only in one phrase is uncertain.^[7]

The medial consonant cluster developed as in tő and vő; the Hungarian /øː/ goes back to Ugric *e or *ä, and the stem variant ⟨ne-⟩ (in ⟨neje⟩ “his wife”) is explained as in fej.^[2][3][7] In Mordvin, Sami and Nenets the initial /n/ was palatalized by the following front vowel.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word first appears in place names of Latin charters: Marcelneygyaya in 1288, with the sense “wife”, and Holthneukereke in 1327 (known from a copy), perhaps with the sense “woman”.^[2][7] In the Jókai Codex (copied about 1448) it is part of kyralne “queen”, the king's wife.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The oldest sense is “wife”, mostly with a possessive suffix;^[2][7] “adult woman” follows (doubtful in 1327, certain about 1456), and “female animal” in the Besztercei word list of about 1395.^[2][7] The variant né, used in the names of married women, became a suffix early, as in Bozorabne of 1525.^[2][3] The language reform gave the word the botanical sense “pistil” (1807) and made nőies “feminine” (1842) and nősül “to take a wife” (1823); the derivatives nős “married” (as a personal name in 1466) and nőtlen “unmarried” (1539) came earlier.^[2][3]

In the Szeged region nő was felt as a new word: older people said asszony, lány or fehérnép instead.^[8]

Timeline

• 1288 – Marcelneygyaya, a place name, “wife”.^[2]
• 1327 – Holthneukereke, a place name, perhaps “woman” (known from a copy).^[2]
• c. 1395 – neye “female (animal)” in the Besztercei word list.^[2][7]
• c. 1448 – kyralne “queen” in the Jókai Codex (text written after 1372).^[2]
• c. 1456 – “adult woman” in the Sermones Dominicales.^[2]
• 1466 – News, a personal name, the first record of nős.^[2]
• 1525 – Bozorabne, the suffix -né in a woman's name.^[2]
• 1539 – nőtelen “unmarried”.^[2][3]
• 1807 – “pistil”, a botanical term of the language reform.^[2]
• 1842 – nőies “feminine”.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. woman: an adult female person: A teremben csak nők ültek.^[4][1]
2. A woman as a man's partner;^[4][1] (colloquial) with a possessive suffix, a man's girlfriend or mistress: Ki volt az a nőd?^[4][1]
3. (dated) wife: nőül vesz “to marry (a woman)”.^[4][1]
4. A female animal, especially a female bird.^[4]

Word family

• nős
• nősül
• nőstény
• nőtlen
• női
• nőies
• nőcske
• nej