Lähdekohdan

Lähdekohdan is a Finnish term that appears in technical and data-related contexts to denote the source endpoint or origin point in a relationship, such as in data flows, mappings, or graph representations. The form is a case-inflected variant that some writers encounter when discussing source-to-target relationships.

Etymology and grammar: The term combines lähde (source) and kohde (target, endpoint). In standard Finnish, the genitive singular of lähdekohde would be lähdekohteen, so lähdekohdan is not the normative form for that base noun. Because of this, the exact meaning of lähdekohdan can depend on context, and readers may encounter it as a nonstandard or specialized usage. In graph contexts, many writers prefer terms like lähdesolmu (source node) to avoid ambiguity.

Usage: Lähdekohdan is often used when describing the starting point of a relationship to a target in data models, ETL processes, or network diagrams. Examples include referring to the value attributed to the source endpoint, or to the action of selecting or configuring the source in a data pipeline. The interpretation of the phrase relies on surrounding terminology and whether the author intends a literal node/endpoint sense or a more general origin reference.

Relation to other terms: For clarity, it can be helpful to distinguish from standard compounds such as lähdekohde or from graph-specific vocabulary like lähdesolmu (source node) and kohde (target). When precision is required, prefer canonical forms or explain the intended meaning in context.

See also: lähde, kohde, lähdesolmu, solmu, verkko, tiedonvirta.