Väljendava

Väljendava is the genitive singular form of the Estonian adjective väljendav, meaning expressive or evocative. In Estonian, adjectives agree with the noun they modify, and the form väljendava appears when the noun is in the genitive case. The base form of the adjective is väljendav; other inflected forms include väljendavad (nominative plural) and väljendavate (genitive plural).

Usage and meaning

Väljendav describes something that conveys meaning, emotion, or stylistic quality. It is commonly used in literary, artistic, or analytical contexts to discuss how language, tone, behavior, or art communicates or expresses certain ideas or feelings. Examples of how the form can appear in phrases include väljendava loomuse omadused (the traits of an expressive character) and väljendava tooni kirjeldus (a description of an expressive tone). The word emphasizes capability or tendency to express.

Grammatical notes

Väljendava is a single inflected form, not a standalone lexical entry; the base word is väljendav. Estonian adjectives decline for case and number but not gender, so -ava endings can appear in multiple grammatical contexts. The related forms help express relationships in noun phrases, such as genitive singular (väljendava) or genitive plural (väljendavate).

Etymology

Väljendav derives from the verb väljendama, meaning “to express.” The adjective formation uses the present-participle-like suffix -av, yielding a word that describes expressive or evocative qualities. The term is widely understood in contemporary Estonian and appears in both descriptive and critical writing.