koostiselt

Koostiselt is a term in Estonian that functions as an adverb describing something in terms of its composition or internal makeup. It stems from the noun koostis, meaning composition or ingredients, and carries the sense of evaluating or presenting a thing by its parts rather than by appearance, function, or process. In scholarly and analytical writing, it is used to shift focus to the constituents that form a whole.

Etymology and usage: Koostiselt is formed by adding the adverbial suffix -lt to the noun koostis, following a common pattern in Estonian for creating manner adverbs from nouns. The word is most at home in technical, scientific, or critical contexts, where a discussion centers on what something is made of or how its components interact. It can be contrasted with other perspectives such as funktsionaalselt (functionally) or esteetiliselt (aesthetically), depending on the emphasis of the analysis.

Examples of use are typically constructional, for instance describing materials, ingredients, or structural parts: "Toote koostiselt on materjal peamiselt polümeeridest ja täiteainetest," meaning the composition of the product is mainly polymers and fillers; or "Teksti koostiselt vaadates ilmneb teema ehitus ja struktuur." The term helps specify that the subject is being considered for its constituent parts rather than its external form.

See also: koostis; koostisosa; koostisained; koostises.