Nimistuse

Nimistuse is the genitive singular form of the Estonian noun nimistus, which denotes a list, inventory, registry, or roster of names or items. In archival, legal, and historical contexts, nimistuse refers to a compiled register that enumerates persons, properties, or other entities.

Nimistuse derives from nimistus, a word built around the idea of a collection of names, with the suffix -stus/-istus forming a noun meaning a set or compilation. The genitive singular nimistuse is used to express possession, association, or specification, as in phrases like nimistuse koostamine (the compilation of a list) or nimistuse andmed (the data of the list). The plural genitive is nimistuste.

Usage and context: Nimistuse appears primarily in formal, historical, or archival texts rather than everyday language. It is common in descriptions of registers such as census lists, tax registries, or property inventories. In modern Estonian, the more general nimistus or loend is typically used in ordinary speech, while nimistuse occurs in contexts where the genitive form is required or where the phrase is embedded in a longer noun phrase.

See also: nimistus; loend; arhiiv.