Kõrgem

Kõrgem is an Estonian adjective meaning "higher" or "taller." It represents the comparative degree of the basic adjective kõõrge, which denotes height, level, or intensity. The comparative form is formed with the suffix -em, yielding kõrgem. The word is commonly used with nouns or in predicate constructions after the linking verb, as in “See hoone on kõrgem kui teine.”

The primary usage of kõrgem covers literal height, such as comparing objects or structures, and figurative or qualitative comparisons, such as levels, standards, or intensity. Examples include: “Kõrgem tase nõuab rohkem ressursse,” meaning a higher level requires more resources; “Kõrgemad standardid” or “Kõige kõrgem tase” describe elevated standards or the highest level. In comparative constructions, the phrase is typically followed by “kui” or a noun to establish the point of comparison, for example, “ta on kõrgem kui tema kolleeg.”

In morphology, kõrgem functions as a standard Estonian adjective form that agrees with the noun it modifies in number and case. The superlative form is built with kõige, as in “kõige kõrgem” (the highest). Related terms include kõrge (high, tall) and kõrgus (height), which share the same semantic domain. Kõrgem thus serves as a versatile word for comparing height, degree, and quality in Estonian.