Eeskõige

Eeskõige is an Estonian adverb meaning “above all,” “most importantly,” or “primarily.” It is used to foreground the main consideration or priority in a statement, often preceding the clause or element it modifies.

Etymology: The word comes from ees, meaning “in front” or “before,” combined with kõige, the superlative particle meaning “the most.” Together they express the idea of something that should be considered before everything else.

Usage: Eeskõige is common in formal, analytical, and policy writing, as well as careful journalism. It signals that a given aspect dominates the others. It can appear sentence-initially or within a clause. Examples include: Eeskõige tuleb arvesse võtta inimeste ohutust. Ennekõike tuleb rõhutada projekti prioriteete.

Nuance and synonyms: Eeskõige emphasizes priority more than mere frequency or distribution. It is close in meaning to ennekõike and peamiselt, the latter describing what is most common or predominant rather than what should take precedence. Ennekõike is a near-synonym, while peamiselt translates more directly as “mainly.”

See also: Beside eeskõige, Estonian synonymy includes ennekõike and peamiselt; related discourse markers help signal emphasis and prioritization in Estonian prose.