Epätarkka

Epätarkka is a Finnish adjective meaning not precise or not exact. It describes something that lacks accuracy in measurement, description, or understanding. The opposite is tarkka, meaning precise or careful. The negating prefix epä- is a common part of Finnish word formation and is attached to tarkka to form epätarkka.

In practice, epätarkka is used in both technical and everyday language. In science and engineering, epätarkka mittaus or epätarkkuus denotes measurements with significant uncertainty. In journalism or debate, epätarkka väite or epätarkka kuva indicates an unclear, imprecise, or vaguely stated claim or image. The term can also describe blur or lack of sharpness in imagery, as in epätarkka kuva or epätarkka video.

Grammatically, epätarkka is an adjective that agrees with the noun it modifies: epätarkka mittaus, epätarkan mittauksen, epätarkat mittaukset, and so on. It can function both attributively and predicatively: Mittaus oli epätarkka. The word conveys a spectrum from vagueness to numerical inaccuracy, and its use often signals emphasis on limitations in precision rather than outright falsehood.

Related terms include epätarkkuus (imprecision, lack of precision) and tarkka (precise). Epätarkka and its derivatives are common across formal and informal Finnish, allowing speakers to describe data, statements, or imagery that falls short of exactness.