suurte

Suurte is the genitive plural form of the Estonian adjective suur, meaning large or big. In Estonian, adjectives inflect to agree with the nouns they modify, and suurte appears when the modified noun is plural and in the genitive case. This form is commonly encountered in written or formal language, especially in longer noun phrases.

Suurte is used to describe groups or categories in a way that indicates possession or association with the plural noun, typically translated as “of the large/large-scale …” or “the large …” in English, depending on the surrounding grammar. Examples include suurte linnade (of the large cities), suurte riikide (of the large countries), and suurte mägede (of the tall mountains). In isolation, suurte has no independent meaning beyond its grammatical function; it is a specific inflected form of suur used to modify plural nouns in the genitive.

Context and usage notes: The form reflects Estonian’s system of adjective inflection, where the ending changes with number and case. While suurte is common in literature, journalism, and formal writing, its appearance is typical of descriptive phrases rather than of stand-alone words. It is not a separate noun or a proper noun; there is no widely recognized entity or concept named “Suurte” itself.

Etymology: suurte derives from the Proto-Finnic root suur- meaning “big” or “great,” shared across related Finnic languages. The form aligns with standard Estonian inflection patterns for adjectives in genitive plural.