askelmäistä

The Finnish term 'askelmäistä' is a form of the adjective meaning 'step-like' or 'stepped in form.' It is used to describe structures, landforms, patterns, or sequences that progress in discrete levels rather than smoothly.

It derives from the noun 'askel' meaning 'step' and the suffix '-mäinen', which forms adjectives with the sense of 'resembling' or 'having the qualities of.' The form 'askelmäistä' appears in inflected sentences according to case and number.

In geography and geology, the term may describe terraced terrain or stepped rock formations. In architecture and urban planning, it can refer to tiered massing or stepped façades. In data visualization or mathematics, it might describe stepwise progressions or stair-step patterns, such as piecewise-constant or stepped curves.

Because it is specialized, askelmäistä is not common in everyday Finnish; it is primarily found in descriptive, technical, or academic contexts.

See also: askel (step), askeleittain (stepwise), mäinen (suffix forming adjectives).