lõppkellast

Lõppkellast is the genitive singular form of the Estonian compound noun lõppkell, which denotes the end-of-class bell used in schools. The base lõppkell is formed from lõpp (end) and kell (bell), together describing the bell that signals the conclusion of a lesson or period. The form lõppkellast appears in contexts where the noun phrase is governed by a preposition, expressed as a possessive relation, or linked to other elements in a sentence.

Origins and inflection: Estonian frequently forms genitive forms of compound nouns by attaching suffixes to the compound stem. In the case of lõppkell, the genitive singular is lõppkellast, used to indicate “of the end bell” or related to the end bell. This reflects the language’s combination of compounding and case inflection, where the final form signals grammatical relationships within a sentence.

Usage: The term is used in written Estonian, particularly in descriptive prose about school life or in grammars that illustrate genitive forms of compound nouns. Examples include phrases such as lõppkellast tulenenud mürin (noise originating from the end bell) or lõppkellast sõltuv ajakava (a schedule dependent on the end bell). The form helps specify attribution or source tied to the end bell within a broader expression.

See also: lõppkell, Estonian grammar, Genitive case in Estonian, Compound nouns in Estonian.