kunniga

Kunniga is a Swedish noun form derived from the adjective kunnig, meaning knowledgeable or skilled. When kunnig is inflected as kunniga in plural form, it can function as a substantive to refer to people who are regarded as experts or well-informed in a particular area. In usage, phrases such as de kunniga or kunniga inom området are common, and the term can be used to denote the group or body of knowledgeable people consulted in a given context.

Usage and nuance: Kunniga is often employed in public discourse, journalism, and policy discussions to indicate that credible input comes from people with proven competence. It can carry a positive evaluative tone, yet it does not by itself specify formal credentials. For more formal or credential-specific references, Swedish often uses sakkunniga (subject-matter experts) or the plural expert/experter.

Relation to related terms: Kunnig functions as a general descriptor of expertise, whereas terms like sakkunnig or expert are more precise about credentials or formal recognition. The concept of kunskap (knowledge) underpins kunnig, and related adjectives include kunnand– or kunskapshyv. The term is used in both standard Swedish and Finland-Swedish contexts to refer to those deemed knowledgeable in a field.

See also: kunnig, sakkunnig, expert.