Piirav

Piirav is an Estonian term that functions as the present participle of the verb piirama, meaning to limit or bound. As an adjective, piirav describes something that imposes limits or constraints, and it is also used in linguistic discussions to refer to restrictive or defining elements within a clause. In legal and policy contexts, piirav describes measures or rules that constrain behavior or options, often contrasting with more permissive or broad approaches.

Etymology and form: The word is derived from the root piir-, meaning border or limit, with the suffix -av, which forms a present participle or attributive adjective. This allows piirav to modify nouns directly, indicating that the described object enforces a constraint.

Usage: In legal and regulatory writing, piirav terms characterize rules designed to narrow scope or options. In linguistics, the concept aligns with the notion of a restrictive element within a sentence, one that specifies essential information about the referent. The term can also appear in mathematical or computational contexts to describe a constraint or bounding condition, though such usage is less common in everyday language.

Examples (approximate translations): phrases such as piirav määrus (restrictive regulation) and piirav tingimus (restrictive condition) illustrate the sense of constraint. In grammar discussions, one might refer to a piirav lause to denote a clause that limits or defines the meaning of the noun it modifies.

See also: piirang, piirama, piiravus.