kalliisti

Kalliisti is a Finnish adverb meaning "expensively" or "at a high cost." It is formed from the adjective kallis (expensive) with the adverbial suffix -sti, following a common pattern in Finnish word formation where adjectives take the -sti suffix to create adverbs.

Etymology and form: Kalliisti combines kallis with -sti to express the manner in which an action is performed, specifically indicating costliness. This pattern is parallel to other adverbs such as nopea → nopeasti or hidas → hitaasti, though kalliisti is relatively rare in contemporary usage.

Usage and register: The form kalliisti appears primarily in literary, rhetorical, or dialectal contexts and is not common in everyday speech. When it does occur, it adds emphasis or nuance, often with a tone of irony or critique about price. In everyday Finnish, speakers typically convey the same idea using periphrastic phrases such as maksoi paljon (costs a lot) or paid dearly, rather than relying on a dedicated adverb.

Variants and related forms: While kalliisti is the standard derivation from kallis, speakers may favor simpler or more idiomatic expressions in different contexts. The word’s frequency and acceptability can vary by dialect and era, with some writers treating it as stylistically marked.

See also: Finnish language, Adverbs in Finnish, Word formation.