Erottunut

Erottunut is a Finnish adjective derived from the verb erottaa, meaning to distinguish or to separate. It is used to describe something that stands out from its surroundings or from others, and can also refer to a person who has achieved distinction in a field. In this sense, erottunut can be translated as distinguished, notable, or standing out.

As a past participle, erottunut is commonly used attributively or predicatively and agrees with the noun it describes, just like other Finnish adjectives. The related present participle erottuva expresses the ongoing quality of standing out, while erottuminen refers to the act of distinguishing or separating.

In usage, erottunut can describe people, features, or phenomena. Examples: Hän on erottunut alallaan. (He has distinguished himself in his field.) Väri erottuu ympäristöstään. (The color stands out from its surroundings.) The phrase erottuva piirre means “a distinguishing feature.”

Related terms include erottelu (the act of distinguishing or differentiating) and erotus (a difference or distinction). Erottunut sits within a family of expressions that encode perceptual or social prominence, and its exact nuance depends on context and contrast with other elements in the sentence.