määravat

Määravat is a term that appears in Estonian-language technical and academic writing to describe something that determines, fixes, or defines a value, condition, or outcome. The word is formed from the verb määrata, meaning “to determine, to appoint, to set,” with the present-participle suffix -vat, which gives an adjective-like meaning of “defining” or “determinative.” Because Estonian grammar is highly flexible, the exact form of the participle can vary to agree with the noun it modifies.

In practice, määravat is used in contexts where a property or factor is emphasized as having a determining influence. For example, it can appear in phrases referring to a defining feature of a phenomenon, a determining factor in a decision, or a parameter that fixes the result of a model. The term is more common in formal, technical, or theoretical prose and may be found in dictionaries, glossaries, or grammar discussions that explore participial adjectives and their usage.

Usage notes: as a participial adjective, määravat typically appears in attributive position and agrees with the noun in case and number. The exact inflection can vary, reflecting typical Estonian agreement rules for participial forms. Because Estonian lacks a single universal technical vocabulary across disciplines, the precise sense of määravat can differ between fields such as linguistics, mathematics, or social sciences.

See also: määrsõna (determiner), determinant, defining property. References: standard Estonian dictionaries and grammar resources that cover participial adjectives formed from the verb määrata.