Suurellinen

Suurellinen is a Finnish adjective formed from the root suur- meaning large, together with the derivational suffix -ellinen, which creates adjectives describing a characteristic. The word literally conveys that something is “characterized by being large” or “large-scale.” It is not common in everyday Finnish and is mostly found in technical, scholarly, or literary contexts where emphasis on magnitude or scope is desired.

Usage and nuance

In standard language, speakers more frequently use synonyms such as suuri, laaja, suurikokoinen, massiivinen, or makro- to express large size or scale. Suurellinen tends to appear in more formal or stylistically marked text, where a heightened sense of scale or extent is intended. Because it is relatively rare, it can sound archaic or poetic to contemporary readers, depending on the context.

Grammar and inflection

As a regular -ellinen adjective, suurellinen follows standard Finnish adjective inflection. It is used attributively before a noun, with typical case endings for adjectives (for example, suurellisen ennen substantiivia in the genitive, suurellinen ennen substantiivia in the nominative). The exact inflection mirrors other adjectives of the same class.

Related terms

See also: suuri, laaja, suurikokoinen, massiivinen, makro-, and other size- or scope-related Finnish expressions. The suffix -ellinen is common in Finnish for forming adjectives that indicate a characteristic or quality, and suurellinen is one of several specialized terms that can appear in technical or literary registers.

Notes

Because suurellinen is not widely attested in contemporary everyday usage, its exact frequency and preferred contexts may vary by author and period.