Hoidikud

Hoidikud is an Estonian plural noun formed from the root hoid-, meaning to hold or keep, with the agentive suffix -ik. The word has several related senses, typically divided by context into a person who provides care or supervision and a device that holds or supports something.

In social and caregiving contexts, hoidik can refer to a person who looks after someone, such as a child or an elder. In everyday language, more specific terms like lapsehoidja or hooldaja are often used, but hoidik may appear in older or formal texts to indicate a caretaker or guardian.

In technical and mechanical usage, hoidik denotes a device that holds, secures, or mounts another component. This sense is common in engineering, manufacturing, and electronics, where a hoidik can be described as a holder, clamp, bracket, or mounting fixture designed to keep parts in place during operation or assembly.

The plural hoidikud is used when talking about multiple instances of either sense, such as a group of caregivers or a set of mounting holders. The precise meaning of hoidikud is determined by surrounding words and context, and in specialized registers it is often replaced by more specific terms. Overall, hoidikud functions as a versatile term with both human and mechanical interpretations in Estonian.