Määratlema

Määratlema is an Estonian verb meaning to define, specify, delineate, or determine the scope or meaning of something. It is used in formal, academic, legal, and analytical contexts to express the act of giving an explicit definition or delimitation.

As a transitive verb, it typically takes a direct object such as a mõiste (concept), kontseptsioon (concept), or probleem (problem), i.e., it defines the meaning or boundaries of a term or phenomenon. In practice, määratlema is used to state criteria, limits, or essential characteristics, often in the process of clarifying terminology or framing a study.

In discourse, määratlema is closely related to the noun määratlus (definition) and to other terms that describe precision and boundaries, such as piirid (limits) and kriteeriumid (criteria). It is common in dictionaries, academic papers, legal texts, and methodological sections where clarity of meaning is essential.

Etymology: the verb is derived from the noun määratlus (definition) with the verb-forming suffix -lema; it is a standard part of Estonian lexicon for expressing definitional or delimiting actions.

See also: määratlus, mõiste, kontseptsioon, kriteeriumid, piirid.

Examples:

- Me määratleme mõiste tähenduse.

- Uurimuses määratletakse kriitilised kriteeriumid.