Sõdiva

Sõdiva is an Estonian adjective meaning “fighting” or “warlike,” formed from the verb sõdima “to fight” with the active-participle suffix -va. The word can describe a person, group, or action associated with fighting or conflict.

Etymology and form: It derives from the same war-related root as sõda (war) and sõdima (to fight). The -va suffix marks an active participle, a common way in Estonian to create adjectives that express ongoing or habitual qualities related to the root meaning.

Usage: In modern Estonian, sõdiva is relatively rare and more likely to be found in historical or literary texts than in everyday speech. It conveys a martial or combative quality, but there are more common terms such as sõjakas (warlike) or võitlev (fighting, actively participating in a conflict) that are preferred in contemporary use. The term may appear in descriptions of ancient battles, military campaigns, or literary portrayals of warrior societies.

See also: sõda, sõdur, sõjakas, võitlev. These related words cover the core semantic field of war, soldiers, and combativeness in Estonian.

Note: This article provides a concise overview and may be expanded with examples and dictionary citations from Estonian reference works.