suojelus

Suojelus is a Finnish noun meaning protection, safeguarding, or guardianship. It denotes the act or state of protecting someone or something, such as the protection of people, property, or rights. The word is formed from the verb suojella “to protect” with the nominal suffix -us, and it can appear in a range of contexts from everyday language to more formal or legal discourse.

In everyday use, suojelus can refer to general safeguarding measures or to the idea of guardianship and care provided by an individual, institution, or system. In legal or administrative language, it may be used to discuss protective arrangements, safeguards, or programs designed to ensure safety and security. The term often contrasts with more concrete words for security, such as turvallisuus (safety) or turva (security), depending on nuance.

Historically, the word suojelus is part of the name of the Suojeluskunta, a Finnish voluntary paramilitary organization established in the early 20th century to promote public order and national defense. In this context, suojelus carried connotations of guardianship and protective duty beyond ordinary protection.

Related terms include suojelu (protection), suojelija (protector), and suojelukseksi related phrases, which expand on the concept in various linguistic and thematic settings. Overall, suojelus functions as a general lexical form for the notion of safeguarding and guardianship in Finnish.