Arvaus

Arvaus is a Finnish noun meaning a guess or rough estimate. It is derived from the verb arva- “to guess” with the -us suffix, which forms nouns denoting an act or result. In Finnish, arvaus is typically used for informal or uncertain judgments, such as a guess made in a game, a rough numerical estimate, or a speculative answer when precision is not known. It conveys less certainty than the related term arvio, which refers to a more deliberate estimation or assessment.

In usage, arvaus can appear in phrases like “vain arvaus” (only a guess) to acknowledge uncertainty. It is common in everyday speech, journalism, and informal writing when exact data are unavailable. In contrast, the verb arvata describes the act of guessing, while arvaus names the guess itself.

The term is primarily used in Finnish but appears in bilingual texts where Finnish terms are discussed. It can also be found in discussions related to probability, statistics, and decision making when describing informal judgments or initial estimates. Overall, arvaus marks an unauthenticated or provisional input, distinct from more rigorous calculations or verified data.