Selgitatus

Selgitatus is a term occasionally found in Estonian-language texts and in Latin-derived scholarly writing. It denotes an explanatory note or clarification appended to a document, or a passage that has been explained. In use, selgitatus functions similarly to an annotation or marginal gloss, intended to clarify terminology, translate a foreign phrase, or elucidate the author’s intent in a clause or section.

Etymology and usage: The word combines selgitus, meaning explanation in Estonian, with the suffix -atus forming a noun that signals a result or product of an action; in some archival and legal contexts, selgitatus appears as a label for a separate explanatory section. Its Latin background is historical rather than standard, and in modern Estonian practice the form is rare and largely found in older texts, translations of Latin sources, or specialized dictionaries and glossaries. Contemporary Estonian generally prefers selgitus or kommentaar for such content.

Modern context: When encountered, selgitatus typically refers to a specified explanation associated with preceding text, and may appear as a title or introductory note preceding the elaboration. It is distinguished from a plain selgitus by signaling that an explicit explication follows, rather than simply providing information.

See also: Selgitus, Kommentaar, Explication. References: The term appears in some linguistic and legal corpora and is most often encountered in archival material or specialized dictionaries.