salainen

Salainen is a Finnish adjective meaning secret or hidden and not publicly known. It describes information, plans, or objects that are intended to be kept away from others, whether for security, privacy, or strategic reasons. In everyday usage it appears in compounds such as salainen suunnitelma (secret plan), salainen tiedosto (secret file), and salainen yhteys (secret connection).

As an ordinary Finnish adjective, salainen declines like other adjectives and agrees with the noun it modifies in number and case. It is commonly used in formal and informal language, including journalism, law, and fiction, to indicate confidentiality or sensitivity. The term often signals that disclosure is restricted or restricted access is required.

Etymology: Salainen derives from the verb salata, meaning to hide or conceal, with the adjectival suffix -inen forming the sense of “secret” or “hidden.” Related word forms include salaisuus, meaning “secret” or “secrecy.” The root shares connections with other Finnish terms for concealment, such as kätketty or piilotettu, which convey hidden or concealed states in different nuances.

See also: Salaisuus; Kätketty; Piilotettu.