piirkond

Piirkond is an Estonian noun meaning region, area, or district. It refers to a geographically defined part of space and is used to describe parts of a country, a city, or a smaller zone on a map. The term conveys boundedness without implying a strict administrative unit; it can denote natural regions, cultural zones, or planning areas within larger territories.

Etymology and sense: Piirkond is formed from piir (border, boundary) with the suffix -kond, yielding "region" or "zone." In everyday language it is flexible and non-official, often preferred when the exact administrative designation is not necessary. It is commonly contrasted with official terms such as maakond (county) or vald/linn (municipality or city).

Usage examples: In geography and urban planning, piirkond describes a defined part of a territory, as in "piirkondlik arendus" or "teeninduspiirkond" (service region). In statistics and business, it can designate a market or sales region. In education and mathematics, "piirkond" can denote the region of a function, for example "funktsiooni määramispiirkond" (domain).

See also: maakond, vald, linn.