kuihtua

Kuihtua is a native Finnish verb meaning to wither, fade away, or waste away. It describes a decline in vitality or color in living things and can also refer to non-living decline such as prospects, resources, or mood. The term is used in both literal contexts—such as plants or health—and in metaphorical expressions, often signaling gradual deterioration rather than sudden collapse.

In literal usage, kuihtua is used for things that lose vigor or moisture, for example plants that wither when deprived of water or nutrients. In a figurative sense, it can describe a person’s vitality, a color, or even hopes and plans that diminish over time. Natural-sounding examples include: Kasvit kuihtuvat kuivuuden vuoksi. Hymy kuihtui hänen huuliltaan, kun uutiset kuultiin. Toiveet kuihtuivat vuosien varrella.

Kuihtua is an intransitive verb that belongs to the Finnish -ua class of verbs and follows standard Finnish conjugation patterns for such verbs. Its lexical family includes kuihtuminen (the act of withering, decline) and the past participle kuihtunut (withered). The adjective kuihtuva can be used to describe something that is withering or gradually fading, providing a descriptive modifier in phrases about processes or states of decline.