kontinenttinen

Kontinenttinen is a Finnish adjective meaning "continental." It is used to describe things relating to continents or to large-scale geographic or geologic contexts, as opposed to maritime or insular contexts. In academic writing, the term appears especially in geography, climatology, geology, and related disciplines to denote a relationship to continents, such as continental climate (kontinenttinen ilmasto) or continental-scale phenomena.

Etymology and form: The word is formed from the noun kontinentti (continent) with the adjectival suffix -inen. Kontinentti is a loanword in Finnish, and its root is cognate with the English word continent; the underlying root traces through European languages back toward Latin continens. The adjective kontinenttinen is declined according to standard Finnish grammar and agrees with the noun it modifies.

Usage notes: Kontinenttinen is primarily found in formal or technical language. It contrasts with terms referring to oceans or maritime contexts and can describe climate, landforms, or scale associated with continents. Examples include kontinenttinen ilmasto and kontinenttinen mittakaava.