Lõik

Lõik is a native Estonian noun with several related meanings centered on the idea of separation or portioning. The basic senses are a cut or incision, a piece that has been separated from a whole, and a segment or excerpt taken from a larger work. The word is used across everyday language, medicine, media, and publishing.

In medical and surgical contexts lõige denotes a surgical incision or cut made with a blade. In crafts, carpentry, and everyday use, lõik can refer to a cut or notch made in material. In media and publishing, lõik is commonly used for a film clip or scene (filmilõik) and for a textual excerpt taken from a longer text (tekstilõik).

Lõik forms a family with related terms such as lõikamine (the act of cutting or editing) and lõikus (the act or result of cutting). The word declines like a standard Estonian noun: nominative lõik, genitive lõigu, partitive lõiku, plural lõigud, among others.

Etymologically, lõik derives from the verb lõikama (to cut). Its broad use reflects the common Estonian practice of creating compound terms to describe specific kinds of cuts, clips, or excerpts in various domains.

See also: lõikamine, lõik, filmilõik, tekstilõik.