maailman

Maailman is a Finnish word that most often appears as the genitive form of maailma, meaning “world.” In standard usage it functions to indicate possession or relational meaning within compounds, and can also stand as a proper noun when capitalized as Maailman in context-specific titles or names.

As a productive prefix in compounds, maалman- binds to nouns to express global or world-related scope. Common examples include maailmanlaajuinen (worldwide), maailmanpolitiikka (world politics), and maailmankuva (worldview). In these formations the form maалman appears as a connector rather than a standalone noun, illustrating how Finnish uses the genitive to link ideas.

As a proper noun, Maailman is rare and not widely recognized as the official name of a place or organization in major sources. When used in literature, media, or games, it may function as a fictional place, realm, or entity within a Finnish-language work. In such cases, its meaning and attributes depend on the author’s context, and it does not correspond to a standardized, real-world entity.

Etymologically, Maailman reflects the Finnish system of noun declension and compound formation, where the genitive form maаilman serves to connect concepts to “world.” The word remains polysemic, with its primary significance tied to the world, and secondary potential as a proper name within a work of fiction. See also Maailma, maailman, maailmankuva, and maailmanlaajuinen.