reikiintyvät

Reikiintyvät is a Finnish term that literally means “getting pitted” or “becoming hollowed.” It is the present participle of the verb reikiintyä, which describes the formation of small holes, depressions or fissures in a solid surface. The word is typically used in contexts involving material science, geology, agricultural product quality, and everyday descriptions of textures.

In materials science and metallurgy reikiintyvät surfaces commonly refer to corrosion patterns in metal components, where chloride ions or other corrosive agents create pitted pits. Geologists use the term to describe rock strata in which mineral dissolution or faulting has created shallow cavities or blotches. In agricultural and culinary contexts, reikiintyvät describes the surface of certain fruits and vegetables that naturally develop a network of tiny pores, influencing aspects such as flavor release and aging. Skin or hair care descriptions may also use reikiintyvät to denote a rough or porous texture, for instance after bleaching or sun exposure.

The concept parallels the English word “pitted,” and Finnish dictionaries list reikiintyvä (adjective) as “having pits or dimpled” and reikiintyminen (noun) as the process of becoming pitted. Despite its technical usage, reikiintyvät is also common in everyday Finnish to convey an object’s superficial wear or naturally porous state.