halastus
Halastus is a noun used in Estonian to denote mercy, pity, or clemency. In Finnish, the form exists mainly as an archaic or literary loanword; contemporary Finnish typically uses terms such as armo or armeliaisuus to express mercy or compassion. The distinction between halastus and related concepts like kaastunne (compassion) or armastus (love) reflects nuanced shades of meaning in Finnic languages.
Etymology and cognates point to a common Finnic root, with halastus appearing in Estonian as a straightforward
Usage context and status: In modern Estonian, halastus is widely understood and used in formal, literary, or
See also: armastus (love), armo (mercy), kaastunne (compassion).