Kultapäällinen

Kultapäällinen is a Finnish compound noun that literally translates to "golden upper garment." The term is used to refer to a gilded or gold-decorated outer garment, typically described in historical, ethnographic, or literary contexts. It denotes ceremonial or symbolic attire rather than everyday clothing.

Etymology and form: The word combines kultaa or kulta (gold) with päällinen (an upper garment or outerwear). As a compound, kultapäällinen follows the common Finnish pattern of linking a material or color with a type of clothing to describe a distinctive garment.

Usage and context: In available descriptions, kultapäällinen appears in discussions of traditional costumes, regalia, or mythic imagery connected to Nordic or Finnish cultural heritage. It is associated with ceremonial or royal or priestly figures rather than common folk attire. Because the term is not widespread in contemporary everyday Finnish, it tends to appear mainly in historical sources, folklore collections, or literary depictions rather than in modern dress discourse.

Variations and related terms: The concept is closely related to other terms for upper garments in Finnish, such as päällinen in general usage. When discussing gilded or richly decorated clothing, broader phrases like kultainen päällystakki or kultakoristeinen päällyste may be used, but kultapäällinen itself remains relatively specialized.

See also: Päällinen; Kulta; Dress in Finnish ethnography; Nordic ceremonial costume.

References: The term is mainly encountered in historical or ethnographic literature and in fictional or folkloric renderings of traditional dress.