Välimiste

Välimiste is an Estonian term formed from the adjective välimine, meaning outermost or exterior. In standard usage, välimiste functions as the genitive plural form of välimine and is commonly used to refer to the outer parts or outer layers of something. It can modify a following noun in its genitive or be used as a substantive to denote the group of outer components.

In grammar, välimine is declined like other Estonian adjectives. Välimiste appears most often before a noun in the genitive plural, for example in phrases such as välimiste kihtide tähendus (the meaning of the outer layers) or välimiste pindade koostis (the composition of the outer surfaces). The form captures the sense of boundary or exterior position relative to an inner part.

Common contexts for välimiste include geology and geography, architecture, and materials science, where scientists and engineers discuss the outer layers or shells of objects, rocks, buildings, or devices. It also appears in more abstract usage, describing outward or external aspects of a topic or phenomenon, as opposed to inner or core properties.

Related terms include välimine (the base form meaning outer or exterior) and phrases that describe inner versus outer aspects. While välimiste specifically denotes outer components in the genitive plural, its use helps specify spatial, structural, or conceptual boundaries in Estonian discourse.