Liiallinen

Liiallinen is a Finnish adjective meaning excessive, undue, or more than is appropriate. It describes quantities, behaviors, or conditions that exceed what is considered reasonable or necessary. Examples include “liiallinen määrä sokeria” (an excessive amount of sugar) and “liiallinen byrokratia” (overly burdensome bureaucracy).

In usage, liiallinen can appear in everyday speech as well as in journalism, policy discussions, and critique. The term often carries an evaluative tone, signaling that something is unnecessarily large or intrusive, though it can be used descriptively without moral judgment in some contexts.

Etymology and related forms: The word is formed from the stem liial- with the adjectival suffix -inen. Related forms include liiallisesti (adverb) and liiallisuus (excessiveness). It is contrasted with kohtuullinen (reasonable) and riittävä (sufficient).

Notes: The degree of perceived excess and the appropriateness of the term depend on context and cultural norms; what is liiallinen in one situation might be considered acceptable in another.