Kriminaalselt

Kriminaalselt is an Estonian adverb meaning “in a criminal manner” or “criminally.” It is the adverbial form of the adjective kriminaalne, which means criminal. The adjective kriminaalne belongs to the broader vocabulary related to crime and wrongdoing and is formed from the root kriminaal- with the standard Estonian adjective suffix -ne. The adverb is formed by the usual process of adding the suffix -lt to the adjective stem, resulting in kriminaalselt.

Etymology and scope: kriminaalne derives from a Latin-based legal vocabulary and has entered Estonian through contact with other European languages such as German and Russian, where cognate forms exist (for example, kriminell or kriminelle in those languages). In Estonian, kriminaalselt is used to describe the manner of actions, events, or conditions that pertain to crime, rather than to people directly.

Usage and nuance: Kriminaalselt is used in legal, criminological, and journalistic contexts to emphasize that something is related to crime or is performed in a criminal manner. It tends to describe actions, motives, or circumstances rather than labeling a person as a criminal. For example, ta tegutses kriminaalselt means he acted in a criminal manner, and rünnak oli kriminaalselt motiveeritud means the attack was criminally motivated.

Examples: Ta tegutses kriminaalselt. Rünnak oli kriminaalselt motiveeritud.

See also: kriminaalne, kuritegevus, õiguskord.