puolisäätöinen

Puolisäätöinen is a Finnish term that translates to "semi-automatic" or "partially regulated." It is most commonly used in the context of firearms, describing a weapon that fires one round each time the trigger is pulled and automatically reloads the next round from its magazine. Unlike a fully automatic weapon, which continues to fire as long as the trigger is held down, a semi-automatic firearm requires a separate trigger pull for each shot. This mechanism allows for a higher rate of fire than a manually operated firearm, such as a bolt-action rifle, but is generally considered safer and more controlled.

The term can also be applied more broadly to describe systems or processes that are not fully automated but have a degree of self-regulation or automated assistance. For example, a semi-automatic transmission in a car automates some gear changes but may still require driver input for others, or a system might have automatic error correction but require human oversight for final decisions. In these contexts, puolisäätöinen indicates a balance between human control and automated function, offering advantages of efficiency and convenience without sacrificing complete user agency. The specific meaning depends heavily on the domain in which the term is used.