Põhilised

Põhilised is an Estonian adjective, the plural form of põhiline, meaning main, principal, essential or fundamental. It is used to describe elements that are considered central or most important within a broader context. The term is common in formal, technical, and academic writing, where it helps distinguish core aspects from secondary details.

The word typically appears before a noun, producing phrases such as põhilised eeldused (the essential prerequisites), põhilised osad (the main components), or põhilised küsimused (the key questions). It can also be used predicatively, as in Need on põhilised küsimused (These are the main questions). The sense conveyed by põhilised emphasizes foundational importance rather than mere abundance.

Etymology of põhilised traces to the root põhi, meaning base or foundation, which aligns with its usage to denote foundational elements. In usage, põhilised is often paired with words for which a concise, prioritized description is desired, such as plans, analyses, or comparisons. It is semantically close to synonyms like peamine (main) and oluline (important), but carries a stronger sense of basic or core significance rather than mere prominence.

In summary, põhilised signals that a set of items or issues is being highlighted as the central, most important portion of a subject, project, or discussion. Its use helps organize information by foregrounding what is essential.