Kuihtuu

Kuihtuu is a Finnish verb meaning to wither, dry up, fade away, or dwindle. It describes a loss of vitality in living things such as plants or people, and can also be used for non-literal declines like interest, numbers, or prospects.

The verb is intransitive and conveys a gradual process rather than a sudden action. It is used both literally and metaphorically. For example: Kasvi kuihtuu kuivuuden vuoksi (The plant withers due to drought). Hänen terveytensä kuihtuu pitkän sairauden seurauksena (His/her health withers as a result of a long illness).

In its present tense, the typical form is hän kuihtuu for the 3rd-person singular. The verb follows the standard Finnish -ua conjugation pattern, so forms like minä kuihdun (I wither) and he kuihtuvat (they wither) are regular examples. The base infinitive is kuihtua, and a common related noun is kuihtuminen, meaning withering.