Kermaista

Kermaista is a Finnish adjective meaning creamy or cream-like. It is used to describe the texture or flavor of foods and drinks, especially those enriched with dairy cream or possessing a smooth, rich mouthfeel. Common contexts include soups, sauces, desserts, dairy products, and beverages. In descriptions, kermaista may appear with nouns in the partitive case, as in kermaista makua (creamy taste) or kermaista koostumusta (creamy texture).

The word is formed from kerma (cream) with the derivational suffix -isa, yielding the base adjective kermaisa; kermaista is the partitive singular form used to modify indefinite nouns. The term connotes not only thickness but also softness and a velvety feel.

In usage, kermaista is typical of recipe writing, menus, and food journalism, signaling richness and a smooth dairy impression without heaviness. While primarily culinary, it can also be used metaphorically to describe non-food textures or experiences that feel creamy.

Note that kermaista can be confused with the physics term kerma (kinetic energy released per unit mass) used in radiological contexts; the two senses are unrelated, and the latter is not described as kermaista.

Etymology: from kerma “cream” with the derivational suffix -isa; the form kermaista reflects Finnish inflection patterns.