muutlikud

Muutlikud is the plural nominative form of the Estonian adjective muutlik, which means changeable or variable. The word is used to describe things that are not constant and may vary under different conditions. It is common in scientific, technical, and everyday language to refer to multiple factors, properties, or conditions that can change, such as changes in environment, outcomes, or parameters.

Etymology and grammar: The adjective muutlik is formed from the verb muutma, “to change,” with the derivational suffix -lik, producing the sense “changeable.” Like other Estonian adjectives, muutlik agrees with the noun in number and case; in the plural nominative the form is muutlikud. The related noun muutlikkus denotes the state or quality of variability.

Usage: Muutlikud is often used when speaking about data, experiments, ecosystems, or policies that are not fixed. It appears across fields such as statistics, biology, climate studies, and social sciences to indicate that several aspects may vary rather than remain constant. Typical collocations include muutlikud tingimused (variable conditions) and muutlikud tegurid (variable factors).

Examples: Muutlikud tingimused võivad mõjutada katse tulemusi. Muutlikud tegurid tuleb arvestada prognoosides. Muutlikud omadused arenevad ajas.

See also: The noun form muuttlikkus is used to refer to the concept of variability or mutability in general.