kesksed

Kesksed is an Estonian adjective form that appears primarily as a nonstandard or dialectal variant of keskmine, which means middle or central. It is not widely listed in standard dictionaries and is not commonly used in formal writing. In some texts, kesksed is employed to refer to things that occupy the middle position in a sequence, distribution, or time span, conveying a sense of centrality or medial character. This usage is not official and can vary by author or region.

Etymology and morphology: kesksed is generally understood as a derivative of keskmine, but it is not the standard comparative-adjective form. In standard Estonian, the usual plural form for “middle” would be keskmised. As such, kesksed is more likely to be encountered in dialectal contexts, in experimental writing, or when an author deliberately creates a specific stylistic effect.

Usage and examples: In nonstandard usage, one might encounter phrases such as kesksed väärtused (middle values) or kesksed aastad (middle years). For precise statistical meaning, standard terms are preferred: keskmine (mean), mediaan (median), or keskväärtus, depending on context. When describing a position within a spectrum, contemporary writers typically opt for keskne (central) or keskmised (average/mid-range) rather than kesksed.

Notes: Because kesksed is not part of standard Estonian, it should be avoided in formal or academic writing unless you are quoting a source or analyzing dialectal variation. For clear communication, use standard forms such as keskmised, keskne, keskmine, or mediaan.

See also: keskmine, keskne, mediaan, keskväärtus.