Varjutatava

Varjutatava is an Estonian word used primarily as an adjective meaning “eclipsable” or “capable of being eclipsed.” It is formed from the verb varjutama, “to eclipse” or “to obscure,” with the suffix -atav, which creates a participial adjective, and the ending -a. In Estonian grammar, varjutatava is the genitive singular form of the base adjective varjutatav, and it is used to modify a noun within a phrase in which the noun is in the genitive case (for example, varjutatava objekti, “of the eclipsable object”).

Meaning and usage. Varjutatava is used mainly in technical, scientific, or linguistic contexts to describe a property of objects or phenomena that can undergo an eclipse or be shadowed. It is not the standard term for the event of an eclipse itself; the noun varjutus is used for “eclipse” in general. Varjutatav describes a potential or possible eclipsing relationship, rather than the actual eclipse that occurs.

Etymology. The word combines varjutama (“to eclipse”) with the adjectival suffix -atav (“capable of”) and the typical genitive-form ending -a, resulting in a form that is used to indicate possession or relation in noun phrases.

See also. Varjutus (eclipse), varjutatav (eclipsable), varjutama (to eclipse).

Notes. As a grammatical form, varjutatava appears in contexts where precise agreement with a genitive noun is required; in everyday Estonian, rarer usage may occur outside specialized texts.