epäprovosoidut

Epäprovosoidut is a Finnish adjective meaning "unprovoked" or "not provoked." It is formed from the negating prefix epä- and the verb provosoida, and it is used to describe actions, statements, or events that occur without provocation by others. Common collocations include epäprovosoidut hyökkäykset (unprovoked attacks) and epäprovosoidut reaktiot (unprovoked reactions).

Usage and nuance: The term is widely used in journalism, criminology and political discourse to denote that an incident was not in response to a provocation. It can carry moral judgment, suggesting that the event was gratuitous or excessive. Because judgments about provocation can be subjective, the label may be debated and contingent on the evidence presented.

Grammatical notes: "Epäprovosoidut" is the plural form of the adjective; it agrees with plural nouns. The corresponding singular forms depend on the noun they modify and the case they appear in, as in any Finnish adjective.

Etymology and related terms: The word is formed from epä- (not) + provosoida (to provoke). Related terms include provosoida and provokaatio (provocation), which express opposite or related concepts in discourse about motives and reactions.