Harjaantua

Harjaantua is a Finnish intransitive verb meaning to become bristled, roughened, or to develop a crest or mane in hair, fur, feathers, or other soft structures. The word is typically used in descriptive or literary contexts to depict a change in the texture or arrangement of hair or fur, often in animals but occasionally in human descriptions as well.

Etymology and form: Harjaantua is built from harja, meaning “comb” or “crest,” with the verb-forming suffix -antua, which indicates a change of state. The suffix pattern classifies harjaantua among the Finnish -ntua verbs, which describe processes of becoming or developing. The noun form corresponding to the process is harjaantuminen.

Usage: The term is relatively rare in everyday speech and most often appears in naturalistic writing, veterinary descriptions, or historical texts. It generally implies a physical change in the subject’s surface texture or appearance, such as fur becoming denser or hair standing up, rather than an action performed on an object. It can also appear in metaphorical or poetic language to convey an intensified or heightened state.

Conjugation notes: Like other -ntua verbs, harjaantua follows standard Finnish conjugation patterns for this class. For example, one common form is harjaantuu (third person singular present), with other forms generated according to person and tense in the usual way.

See also: harja (comb, crest), harjata (to brush), harjaantuminen (the process of becoming bristled), Finnish verb classes, morphology of -ntua verbs.