rangaistimen

Rangaistimen is the genitive singular form of the Finnish noun rangaistin, which means a person who punishes, i.e., a punisher or enforcer. The base verb rangaistaa means to punish, and the agent noun suffix -in yields rangaistin, “the punisher.” The genitive singular rangaistimen expresses possession or relation, for example in phrases like rangaistimen teho (the punisher’s effect) or rangaistimen valta (the punisher’s authority). The term is relatively rare in everyday Finnish and is more common in theoretical, historical, or literary contexts, or in discussions about punishment as a social or moral concept.

In contemporary usage, speakers more often refer to punishment itself (rangaistus) or to specific roles or institutions (for example tuomari, viranomainen) rather than to a generic “punisher.” When used, rangaistimen tends to emphasize the actor’s power, authority, or responsibility for administering punishment, rather than the punishment as such.

Etymology and morphology: rangaistin is formed from the verb rangaistaa with the agent suffix -in. The corresponding plural form would be rangaistit (the punishers). The genitive plural is rangaistinten. The term thus sits within a standard pattern for Finnish agent nouns derived from verbs.

See also: rangaistus, rangaistaa, rangaistin.