laaja

Laaja is a Finnish adjective meaning wide, broad, or extensive. It describes the size, extent, or scope of nouns, including physical spaces, time spans, or abstract concepts.

In Finnish, adjectives inflect to agree with the noun they modify in number and case. Laaja follows regular inflection patterns, with comparative and superlative forms used to compare breadth or scope in speech and writing. Related nouns and verbs include laajuus (breadth, extent) and laajentua (to expand).

Common compound phrases illustrate its usage: laaja valikoima, meaning a wide range or broad selection, and laajakaista, meaning broadband or high-speed internet access. The word also appears in other compounds and descriptive expressions that emphasize breadth or expansiveness.

As a common word, laaja is typically used in ordinary Finnish sentences and is not generally used as a standalone proper name. It can appear as part of coined or descriptive names in organizations or places, but such uses are literary or contextual rather than standardized references.

Etymologically, laaja is a native Finnish adjective with related forms such as laajuus (breadth) and verbs like laajentua (to expand), all sharing the core sense of width or extent. The term is widely used in everyday Finnish to convey magnitude, scope, or comprehensiveness.