Ominaispiirteiltään

Ominaispiirteiltään is a Finnish adverbial expression used to describe something by its characteristic features or traits. It functions to frame a comparison or description from the perspective of the subject’s own attributes, rather than broader categories such as function, origin, or popularity. The phrase is commonly found in scientific writing, descriptive catalogues, reviews, and analytical prose where distinguishing details matter.

The form combines a word for traits or features with a suffix that signals a viewpoint or aspect. In practical use, ominaispiirteiltään appears before or after the element it describes, linking to the main clause through a copula or verb of being, and it often introduces a contrast or specification: for example, “Ominaispiirteiltään laji eroaa muista lähisukulaisistaan” (In terms of its characteristic features, the species differs from its close relatives). It is closely related to synonyms such as ominaisuuksiltaan or piirteiltään, which convey a similar sense of describing the subject by its properties.

Examples of usage include scientific descriptions, product comparisons, and literary analysis. The phrase helps emphasize specific traits—such as size, color, structure, or behavior—that define the subject when comparing with others. While versatile, it is most common in formal or semi-formal Finnish and should be chosen when a precise, traits-based framing is desired.