määrittävästi

Määrittävästi is a Finnish adverb that denotes the manner in which something is defined or characterized. It is used to indicate that a statement or feature functions as a defining criterion for a concept, category, or relation, rather than merely describing it. In academic Finnish, määrittävästi signals that a property is essential to the meaning of the term and helps distinguish it from other items. The nuance can range from stating an essential feature to arguing that a property is part of the definition itself.

Formation and scope: The word is formed from the adjective määrittävä (defining, determinant) or the verb määrittää (to define) with the adverbial suffix -sti, yielding "määrittävästi". As an adverb of manner, it typically accompanies verbs or predicates to specify how something is defined or determined. Its use is most common in formal or theoretical texts.

Usage and context: Määrittävästi appears primarily in philosophy, linguistics, logic, and other areas where the semantics of definitions are discussed. It is less common in casual speech. When used, it emphasizes the role of a feature as a defining element and can be contrasted with descriptive or non-defining statements.