Määräin

Määräin is a Finnish noun that appears only rarely in contemporary language. It is generally understood as referring to an instruction or directive issued by an authority, and it is derived from the verb määrätä, meaning “to determine,” “to order,” or “to regulate.” The form is considered old-fashioned or archival, and in everyday use the related nouns määräys (“order, regulation”) or ohje (“instruction”) are far more common.

Etymology and form

The word stems from the verb määrätä and employs a noun-forming suffix that historically produced agentive or instrumental meanings. In legal or administrative texts, määräin can occur as a stand-alone noun to denote an act that orders or prescribes something. In practice, the term is largely found in older documents, translations, or linguistic discussions rather than in current legislation or media.

Usage and context

Määräin is not a standard term in modern Finnish. It is most likely to be encountered in archival material, historical studies, or linguistic descriptions of Finnish terminology where older stylistic forms are discussed. In everyday language, official instructions are described with määräys or ohje, and commands or orders with käsky.

Related terms

- määräämä (to order, to determine)

- määräys (order, regulation)

- ohje (instruction)

- käsky (command)

These terms cover the common semantic fields of giving instructions, mandates, or directives in contemporary Finnish.

See also

Finnish legal language, historical Finnish terminology, ordinal and numeral expressions in Finnish.