ikuistaa

Ikuistaa is a Finnish transitive verb meaning to cause something to become eternal or to immortalize it; to make endure indefinitely or live in memory beyond its present existence. The usage is largely literary or rhetorical, and it is not common in everyday conversation. The act can be literal, in the sense of preserving something as a monument, or metaphorical, referring to making a memory, work, or reputation last across generations.

Etymology: The verb is formed with the suffix -istaa attached to the root related to ikuisuus meaning eternity and ikuinen meaning eternal. The -istaa suffix yields a causative or applicative sense: to cause to become eternal. The term belongs to standard Finnish, though it remains relatively formal and literary.

Typical contexts include art, literature, archiving, journalism, and cultural commentary, where authors describe efforts to ensure something endures beyond a lifetime—such as a monument, a work of art, or a memory. It is used with objects like nimi (name), muisto (memory), teos (work), or monumentti.

Examples:

Runon säe ikuistaa kirjailijan nimen sukupolville.

Muistomerkki ikuistaa sankarin muiston.

Dokumentti pyrkii ikuistamaan todellisuuden sellaisenaan.

Notes: Ikuistaa is stylistically marked; in everyday speech, speakers may prefer expressions like jättä oikean vaikutuksen sanomalla, “jättää pysyvän jäljen” or “tehdä ikimuistoiseksi” instead. Related forms include ikuinen (eternal), ikuisuus (eternity), and adverb ikuisesti (eternally).