kerrosta

Kerrosta is the partitive singular form of the Finnish noun kerros, meaning a layer or stratum. The base noun kerros has several related senses, including a layer in a baked product, a layer in a geological sequence, or a floor/storey in a building. Kerrosta is used when the quantity of the layer is indefinite or when referring to a portion of a larger set.

In Finnish grammar, kerrosta typically appears in constructions that express an undetermined amount of a layer or when counting layers in groups. The standard plural nominative is kerrokset, and the partitive plural is kerroksia. The genitive singular form is kerroksen. Because kerrosta marks a partial or non-definite amount, it often occurs after numerals or quantifiers in phrases describing several layers.

Uses and contexts: kerrosta appears in discussions of layered materials, such as soils or sediments, and in descriptions of layered architectural elements or structures. It also occurs in everyday language when talking about layered foods or products in a non-technical way, emphasizing the presence of one or more layers rather than a fixed number.

Etymology and related terms: kerros is of Finnish origin, denoting a division into layers. Related forms include kerroksen (genitive singular) and kerrokset (nominative plural). The verb kerrostaa, meaning to stratify or layer, is related in meaning but distinct in function from the noun form kerrosta.