katkaisu

Katkaisu is a Finnish noun that denotes the act of cutting off, interruption, or severing. It is derived from the verb katkaista, meaning to cut off or detach. The term is used across everyday language and various professional domains to describe a deliberate break, end, or disruption.

In everyday and technical use, katkaisu commonly refers to interruptions of supply, service, or connection. Examples include sähkökatko (power outage), teletekninen katkaisu (disconnection of a service), or yhteyden katkaisu (disconnection of a connection). The word can thus describe temporary or permanent halts in infrastructure, communications, or operations.

In medical contexts, katkaisu may appear in reference to surgical severing. However, the formal term for limb removal or organ excision is typically amputaation (amputation); katkaisu can be used in more general or informal speech to describe such procedures, for example raajan katkaisu (amputation of a limb).

Figuratively, katkaisu can describe the end of a relationship, activity, or ongoing process, such as a break in contact or the abrupt cessation of a project. It is often found in compound forms that specify what is being cut off or interrupted.

See also: katkaista, sähkökatko, yhteyden katkaisu.