Laikantis

Laikantis is a Lithuanian present active participle derived from the verb laikyti, meaning to hold, keep, or adhere. As a participle, laikantis functions as an adjective or an attributive participle and typically agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case, much like other Lithuanian adjectives. It can describe a physical action (holding something) or a figurative state (adhering to rules, traditions, or principles).

In usage, laikantis commonly describes people or entities that maintain a certain stance, habit, or standard. For example, in everyday language it can appear in phrases such as a person who abides by laws or a group that preserves traditions. The sense is often close to “holding to” or “sticking with,” depending on the context. In Lithuanian prose, laikantis can modify nouns directly, as in “žmogus laikantis įstatymų” (a law-abiding person) or “laikantis tradicijų” (preserving or clinging to traditions).

The term also appears in more abstract or rhetorical contexts, where it denotes persistence or continuity—keeping up a practice, belief, or standard over time. As a grammatical form, laikantis shares its morphology with other participles ending in -antis and is used where a non-finite verb form communicates ongoing action or state related to the main noun.

Related forms include laikyti (to hold), laikymas (holding, retention), and related derivatives. In scholarly or linguistic discussions, laikantis is cited as an example of how Lithuanian participles express aspectual nuance and attribution.

See also: laikyti, laikymas, laikantis.