laittoman

Laittoman is a Finnish adjective meaning "illegal" or "not permitted by law." It is used to describe actions, situations, or statuses that fall outside the legal framework. The form laittoman is the genitive singular of the adjective laiton and is commonly used in noun phrases such as laittoman teko, meaning "an illegal act," or laittoman toiminnan seuraukset, meaning "the consequences of illegal activity." In plural, the nominative form is laittomat, as in laittomat teot ("illegal acts"), while the genitive plural is laittomien tekojen.

In legal and public discourse, laiton often appears in conjunction with nouns to specify illegality, for example in policy discussions, journalism, and court reporting. The phrase can also appear in more general speech to describe behavior that contravenes statutes, regulations, or widely accepted norms. It contrasts with laillinen, which means "legal" and is used to designate things in compliance with the law.

Etymology and grammar: laiton is the base adjective meaning illegal; laittoman serves as the genitive singular form when describing a noun in attributive position. Finnish adjectives decline to reflect case, number, and the noun they modify, so laittoman teon, laittoman toiminnan, and laittomien tekojen illustrate common inflection patterns.

See also: laillinen, laiton, laittomuus.