Lyhytikäistä

Lyhytikäistä is a Finnish adjective-form used to describe something with a short lifespan or brief duration. It is the partitive singular form of the noun phrase lyhytikäinen, so you typically see it when the noun it modifies is in the partitive case, for example lyhytikäistä elämää (a short life) or lyhytikäisiä kasveja (short-lived plants). The corresponding nominative singular is lyhytikäinen, and the plural nominative is lyhytikäiset.

Etymology and form: the word combines lyhyt (short) with the stem ikäinen/ikäinen, which relates to age or life span. This construction is common in Finnish to express duration of existence or life expectancy. The form lyhytikäistä serves grammatical function in sentences where the object is indefinite or partitive.

Usage and contexts: lyhytikäistä is widely used in biology and ecology to describe organisms with brief lifespans, such as annual plants or many microorganisms, as well as in medicine or sociology to refer to transient conditions or phenomena. It can also describe products, trends, or events that are temporary. In everyday language, synonyms or near-synonyms include ohikiitävä (fleeting) or väliaikainen (temporary), though these do not always carry the exact same nuance.

Nuance and related terms: lyhytikäinen emphasizes duration of existence rather than intensity, signaling brevity of life or function. Related forms include lyhytikäisyys (short lifespan) and the plural lyhytikäiset. It contrasts with pitkäikäinen (long-lived), highlighting differences in longevity or persistence.