Külmima

Külmima is a word in the Estonian language that functions as the superlative form of the adjective külm, meaning cold. It expresses the extreme degree of cold within a defined set or comparison and is used when describing the most cold item, time, or place among others. In standard Estonian, adjectives modify the noun they accompany, and külmima takes the appropriate endings to agree with the noun’s number and case.

Usage and examples help illustrate how it works. The form typically appears directly before the noun it modifies, as in külmima päev, meaning “the coldest day.” When the noun is inflected for other cases, külmima will appear with the corresponding endings alongside the noun (for example, külmima päeva in the genitive). Estonian also allows alternative constructions for emphasis, such as using the predicative form with the adverbial phrase kõige külmem, which serves a similar meaning in many contexts.

Formation and etymology are straightforward: külmima is built from the stem külm (cold) with a superlative marker added to convey “the coldest.” This mirrors common Estonian patterns for expressing the highest degree of an adjective, while remaining distinct from other degrees of comparison in form and usage.

See also: Estonian language, Estonian grammar, adjectives, superlative construction.