selgituse

Selgitus is an Estonian noun meaning an explanation, clarification, or elucidation. The form selgituse is the genitive singular used when referring to “the explanation” in phrases such as selgituse eesmärk (the purpose of the explanation) or selgituse lisamine (the addition of an explanation). The term is common in education, journalism, science, and everyday language as the act or result of making something clearer.

Selgitus is derived from the verb selgitama, meaning to explain, with the noun-forming suffix -us. It belongs to standard Estonian vocabulary and inflects according to the language’s noun paradigm (for example: selgitus, selgituse, selgitust). In typical usage, selgituse phrases are employed when a reader or listener needs more clarity or justification.

Usage: A selgitus can be definitional, causal, or procedural. In academic writing, it may appear as a section that clarifies a concept or term. In journalism, a brief selgitus provides context for a claim. In education, teachers give a selgitus to describe steps in a process or to explain why something is done a certain way. The phrase selgituse eesmärk is common to denote the purpose of the explanation. See also related terms such as selgitama (to explain) and other contexts in which explanations are provided.