perimäinen

Perimäinen is a Finnish adjective meaning inherited or hereditary, used to describe traits, conditions, or characteristics that are transmitted from parents to offspring through genetic inheritance. It is primarily found in biology, genetics, and medicine, where it denotes that a feature is passed down through generations rather than acquired through environment or behavior.

Usage and nuance: The term is somewhat formal or specialized and is usually used in technical contexts. It is often considered more precise or old-fashioned in everyday language, where periytyvä or perinnöllinen are more common. In scholarly texts, perimäinen may apply to traits or diseases with known heritable transmission patterns, while periytyvä emphasizes the process of inheritance.

Etymology and form: The word is formed from a root relating to inheritance or heritage, with the adjectival suffix -inen to express "having the property of." This construction is consistent with Finnish word formation for adjectives describing characteristics or states.

See also: perinnöllinen, periytyminen, perintö.