adjektiivisuffiksi

Adjektiivisuffiksi is a linguistic term used in Estonian grammar to refer to suffixes that form adjectives from other word classes. The concept covers derivational suffixes that attach to nouns, verbs, or other adjectives to create new adjectival forms. These suffixes encode properties, relations, or material qualities and may change in form depending on the stem and the phonology of the language. In Estonian and related Finnic languages, adjektiivisuffiksi are a key mechanism for expanding the adjectival lexicon, and the same broad idea appears in descriptive discussions of many languages’ morphology.

The specific suffixes and their distributions vary by language and historical period. In general, adjective-forming suffixes can turn nouns into property-denoting adjectives (for example, a noun indicating material or origin) or derive participial adjectives from verbs, highlighting aspect or state. When applied, these suffixes often undergo phonological adjustments such as vowel harmony or consonant alternations, and they participate in the inflectional system of the noun phrase. In Estonian, the resulting adjectives decline for case and number and typically agree with the noun they modify, integrating into the wider noun-adjective agreement system.

Two primary functions of adjektiivisuffiksi are distinguished: attributive adjectives, which describe a property of a noun, and participial adjectives, derived from verbs to express a resultant state or action. The study of these suffixes intersects morphology, phonology, and syntax, focusing on derivation, sound alternations, and the behavior of adjectival forms within noun phrases.

See also: adjective suffix, derivational morphology, Estonian language.