Esimerkillisten

Esimerkillisten is a Finnish term used in language and discourse to refer to people regarded as moral exemplars. It derives from the adjective esimerkillinen (exemplary, model) and is the genitive plural form used to modify a following noun, for example esimerkillisten tekojen or esimerkillisten henkilöiden. The phrase functions as a nominal modifier that denotes a group or type rather than a specific individual.

In grammar, esimerkillisten is the genitive plural of the attributive adjective esimerkillinen and appears in constructions like “esimerkillisten tekojen” (of exemplary deeds) or “esimerkillisten henkilöiden” (of exemplary persons). The term is primarily used in academic, philosophical, and literary Finnish to discuss models of virtue, leadership, and social norms. It can be employed descriptively to identify individuals who are widely admired for moral conduct or prescriptively to argue for the importance of exemplary behavior in society.

Usage and reception: The concept carries normative weight; calling someone esimerkillinen or listing esimerkillisten as role models implies value judgments about conduct. Because it lacks a fixed, formal taxonomy, its meaning relies on context: which traits are considered exemplary and who is designated as an exemplar.

See also: role model, moral exemplar, virtuous leadership.